The coordinator of the Left Bloc (BE), Mariana Mortágua, on Saturday emphasized the need to “hold social media accountable” for their content, expressing that such platforms “promote the visibility and sharing of machismo.”
“Nothing justifies it, but we must understand the roots of the problems. Machismo is endemic, it exists in our society and has always existed. What is changing at the moment is a social media culture that promotes the visibility and sharing of this machismo, turning macho figures into internet prophets and influencers,” she told journalists on the sidelines of the ‘Rape is not filmed, it’s condemned’ protest in Lisbon.
The Left Bloc representative stated that “social networks have changed the way” communication happens and it’s necessary to “recognize these changes.”
Mariana Mortágua highlighted that the far-right is present “in parliaments of the Republic, in the United States, and in large companies,” which “promote and legitimize the culture of machismo.”
“The environment they are creating is dangerous. And we must fight against it,” she said.
“This fight is conducted by law, but it is also a cultural battle. It is also a battle for the regulation of social networks, which also need to be held accountable,” she asserted.
A protest was held on Saturday afternoon in front of the Assembly of the Republic against the measures taken against three influencers suspected of raping a 16-year-old girl and sharing the crime on social media, in Loures.
