The collection of a huge amount of data by the State and companies also raises important questions related to democracy and the Rule of Law, as well as questions concerning the security of data storage, the purpose of its collection, the handling of the data, and the risks of them being centralized in a single database.

In addition to this, when we speak of technology, it is impossible not to also think of discrimination. Over recent years, a great number of studies have shown how automated technologies and artificial intelligence reproduce biases and stereotypes, and ultimately end up being discriminatory. 

As a result, many countries have started to review their laws covering surveillance, privacy and the protection of personal data, with the aim of guaranteeing greater security to individuals and to the sharing of their data and personal information by the State and by private companies.

With this in mind, LAUT launches “Surveillance & Vigilantism: concepts, Brazilian legislation and organizations in the field“. This study presents fundamental concepts on the issue as well as examples of how surveillance and vigilantism have manifested themselves in Brazil. 

This document also offers an initial overview of organizations working with these issues, in Brazil and elsewhere, as well as a list of national and international reports and publications to delve deeper into the discussion — based on a extensive, but not exhaustive, mapping produced by LAUT research team: Anna Carolina Venturini, Pedro Ansel, Marina Slhessarenko Barreto, Yuri Marcelo Oliveira, Ana Silva Rosa.

Download “Surveillance & Vigilantism: concepts, Brazilian legislation and organizations in the field” in English.

Get the list of publications on surveillance and vigilantism in Portuguese.

Download “Vigilância e Vigilantismo: conceitos, legislação brasileira e organizações atuantes” in Portuguese.