Event | Digital Defense Initiative | Asymmetries and Power

Data Privacy Brasil discusses the use of spyware in the new edition of CryptoRave

On May 16 and 17, the 9th edition of CryptoRave will take place in São Paulo, an annual event that brings together various activities on security, cryptography, hacking, privacy and freedom on the internet. This year, Data Privacy Brasil will be present on the 17th, at 9 am, in the “Edward Snowden” space, with the panel “Spyware in Brazil: Resistance and Counter-Surveillance”, which consists of an interactive debate on the use of spyware in Brazil and the resistance strategies developed by civil society.

The panel is a result of the “Malhas Digitais” program, which has supported forensic analyses of spyware and seeks to present concrete cases of illegal monitoring, the impacts of government and corporate surveillance, and the technical and political challenges to mitigate such threats. The session will also be a space to share the experiences of researchers, activists, and developers who work with spyware detection and analysis, exploring counter-surveillance solutions and digital protection tools.

In 2024, Data was present at the event with a special screening of the documentary “Corpo Vigiado”, the result of our techno-authoritarianism project. The documentary tells four very different stories of people who somehow see technology as a possible means of threats and oppression. After the screening, there was also a discussion with the team that participated in the production and with guests to talk about surveillance and techno-authoritarianism.

Among the topics that will be discussed in the panel are: current context of spyware use in Brazil and Latin America; discussion of specific cases and the impact of spyware on fundamental rights; and presentation of projects supported by Malhas Digitais and their methodologies; digital resistance and security strategies.

The debate will feature the following experts:

• Diego Cerqueira, software engineer and German Chancellor Fellowship recipient. He is a member of the “Malhas Digitais” program board.
• Lux Teixeira, who works in the research area, founded “Mycelium Tecnologia”, where they are in charge of management, and is also an Internet of Rights Fellow at ARTICLE 19; Also serves as part of the board of the “Malhas Digitais program”.
• Amarelu develops multidisciplinary research, currently focused on the protection of human rights defenders based on transfeminist methodologies and principles, was a fellow at the Mozilla Foundation in the Tech and Society program, and is currently part of the Transfeminist Digital Care Network. 
• Paul Aguilar, cybersecurity specialist, coordinator of the Digital Security Program at SocialTIC.
• And representatives of the projects funded by “Malhas Digitais”: Ana Bárbara Gomes, director of the Internet and Society Reference Institute – IRIS; Thaly Sanches, director of the organization Todas as Letras; and a representative of the organization MariaLab (to be confirmed).

Learn more about the “Malhas Digitais” program, promoted through the “Iniciativa de Defesa Digital” project, a partnership between Data Privacy Brasil and InternetLab, which seeks to help civil society find ways to identify and react to the use of spyware safely, warning about the risks of using these tools in Brazil.

CryptoRave is a free event and will be held on May 16 and 17, 2025 at the Mário de Andrade Library in São Paulo, located at R. da Consolação, 94, São Paulo – SP. Next to the Anhangabaú subway station. Registration is now open, to register access the link here.