In Brazil, ensuring universal internet connectivity has been a significant challenge. This issue adds complexity when examining indigenous territories, quilombolas communities, and extractive populations, such as those in the Amazon region. This complexity arises not only from the lack of competition among service providers, the absence of infrastructure, and physical territorial limitations but also from the absence of public policies that account for meaningful and inclusive access in these territories.

Data from Abranet, the Brazilian Internet Association, reveals that around 20% of the Northern Region has limited internet access, with up to 400 municipalities in the region lacking coverage.

In 2021, a potential solution to Brazil’s connection issues was introduced: low-orbit satellites (LEOs). This technology can provide internet access in remote and rural areas of the Amazon without cables or transmission antennas. LEOs allow for data transmission and internet access over long distances. In January 2022, the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) authorized SpaceX’s Starlink company, under the Ministry of Communications’ influence, to deploy 4,408 LEO satellites in Brazil, including in the Amazon region. 

Low-orbit satellites have extended internet access to regions where it was previously limited, which is a positive development. However, the arrival of operators like Starlink has raised concerns about their impact on local populations. Without proper public policies that consider each region’s complexities, it is unclear what these impacts will be. While the need for internet access is legitimate and essential, the lack of discussion about the social, territorial, and environmental consequences of this technology sheds light on questions related to:

(i) economic concentration; 

(ii) autonomy and security of local populations; 

(iii) social, cultural, political, and informational transformations in the communities utilizing these services; 

(iv) superficial digital inclusion, lacking concurrent digital literacy; 

(v) the presence (or absence) of legislation addressing risks associated with satellite system implementation;

(vi) security and privacy of data traffic.

In response to these concerns and through ongoing dialogue with local organizations, InternetLab and the Nupef Institute, supported by the Ford Foundation, have initiated a project to comprehend the impacts of connectivity in the Amazon. Particular emphasis is placed on issues connected to indigenous peoples, quilombolas, and extractivists.

Methodology

To conduct a comprehensive analysis attuned to local nuances, the research centers around four key areas of focus:

a) Legal mapping:

The initial phase involves surveying and analyzing existing legislation regulating low-orbit satellites in Brazil. The specific emphasis will be on the universalization of connectivity in the country’s northern region. This includes mapping the legislative discourse on the subject, examining the governance of bidding processes in these instances, and discerning any distinctions from other countries within the Amazon region. Additionally, the research will assess the legal responsibilities of companies utilizing this technology.

b) Technical and economic mapping

In the second phase of our investigation, we aim to ascertain the quantity and identity of companies delivering the service, pinpoint any potential economic concentration within the purview of a few dominant market players, and evaluate the technologies these companies offer. Furthermore, we aim to scrutinize the governance of these dispersed territories, track the trajectory of data coursing through these networks, and identify potential risks associated with the surveillance of information traversing them. 

c) Mapping perceptions

In the third phase of our research, we will interview leaders of indigenous movements, quilombolas communities, and organizations involved in implementing internet connection networks in the Amazon. Our aim is to delineate the expectations and concerns surrounding the introduction of the Internet and low-orbit satellites.

d) Public policies 

In the concluding phase, our objective is to pinpoint public policies to enhance connectivity in the Amazon and determine which policies are being considered by the federal government. Moreover, we aim to comprehend the preferences of the indigenous and quilombola movements regarding these policies, ensuring the fulfillment of their right to communication in their territories.