From Folha Online, about a week ago (via ViuIsso?):

The Federal Public Ministry of São Paulo [approx. “Department of Justice”] summoned the directors of Google Brazil to explain the crimes occurring by means of the site [Google] in relationship to Orkut, a page maintained by the giant site [Google] that dominates the Internet search sector. [I don’t understand why they call Google “a site” and Orkut “a page” rather than calling Orkut “a site” and Google “a company.” – Y.T.]

According to the report presented by NGO Safernet (www.safernet.org.br), the site in questions, the majority (more than 70%) of whose participants is Brazilian, has been distributing child pornography, committing crimes against human rights [I think this means racism – Y.T.] and facilitating drug trafficking.

According to IDG Now, Google Brazil people appeared for a meeting on March 10, and said that “Google Brazil has nothing to do with Orkut, which is a service hosted in the United States.”

In today’s news (again, via ViuIsso), MPF is now requesting a subpoena of Google data, which would cover “the creators as well as Brazilian users of virtual communities used for criminal practices.” Sounds familiar?

I find this an interesting variation on Google’s trouble in the US as well as the recent discussion of MySpace issues. While the latter issues are purely domestic, here we have an American company running a website that is largely Brazilian, and being thus asked to answer Brazilian concerns. (And Orkut really is big in Brazil. It’s funny that in US those social networking websites come and go, and people really get burnt out. The Brazilians, however, have been just sticking with Orkut, creating enough of a critical mass where it starts being used for serious purposes – like drug trafficking.)