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How Brazil's cell phone boom is shaking up politics and journalism

As Brazil's smartphone market grows, so too does connectivity. Programs like Whatsapp have been used by – and against – politicians, from networking with young voters to revealing scandals. 

• A version of this post ran on the author's blog,Ìý.ÌýThe views expressed are the author's own.

As Brazil's smartphone market grows, so has the demand for texting apps, and Whatsapp currently reigns supreme. The application, which allows users to send SMS messages using Wifi or phone data, has created a shift in how many Brazilians share information.

Brazil has theÌýÌýin Latin America, and nearlyÌýÌýBrazilians has internet access on their mobile phones. As of April, Whatsapp had approximatelyÌýÌýBrazilian users. That means aroundÌýÌýuse Whatasapp. But since the service announced this month that it hitÌýÌýglobal users, that number could have risen even further.ÌýThe service is often referred to as "Zap Zap," though aÌýÌýalso exists under that name.

Brazilians have taken to the service not only as a substitute for text messaging, but also as a social network, sharing content like memes and viral photos and videos. It's even a stand-in for talking on the phone, letting users send voice recordings.ÌýIt's an incredible change considering that less than two decades ago in Brazil, itÌýÌýto get a home phone installed.

Still, not everyone is a fan of the app. Search for "revoltado Whatsapp" on Youtube and you'll find numerous examples of people fed up with Whatsapp, including videos that have circulated on the app itself. In one, a man complains that the app is endangering his marriage, since his wife gets constant Whatsapp alerts at all hours of the night.

Aside from its use as a social network, Whatsapp has also stood out as a tool in politics, journalism, and transparency. Here are some recent examples.

Politics

For the first time, Whatsapp played an important roleÌýÌýlast year, when voters used it to circulate political preferences at a time of strongÌý. Plus, candidates used it to interact with voters.

One video features presidential candidate Aécio Neves and was one of the most popular pieces of content circulated during the elections. His party, the PSDB, realized the power of the network and created 33 pieces of content exclusively for Whatsapp during the campaign. "We circulated some content to groups of party faithfuls before the first Globo debate, and they shared them with their contacts. It blew up," the PSDB's digital strategy coordinatorÌý. President Dilma Rousseff's team alsoÌýÌýearly in the campaign, as well as ramping up messaging ahead of the vote.

Journalism

Some news outlets are using Whatsapp as a means to crowdsource stories, as well as gettings tips about breaking news and potential leads. Sites includingÌý,Ìý,Ìý,Ìý,

Rio's Extra is was one of the pioneers in using Whatsapp as a journalistic tool, and has used the app well to aid reporting.

The newspaper launched their Whatsapp project in June 2013. The website has frequently advertised its Whatsapp contact numbers, asking readers to send tips, videos, and photos.

Since it launched the project, ExtraÌýÌýand more than 60,000 files, including photos, video, and audio. As a result, the newspaper published over 500 stories in its print edition and more than 1,000 online. With so much content, the paper built anÌýÌýwith stories using tips and information sent through the app.

Readers have submitted a wide variety of tips, fromÌý. It was Extra, for example, that reported drug traffickersÌýduring a pick-up game before the World Cup. Sometimes, a story contains just a quote or a first-person account from Whatsapp; other times, the whole story is based on a tip.

Recently, Extra has used Whatsapp tips to report on a fieryÌý, with residents angry about a prolonged blackout;Ìýthat turned over in the city's West Zone; andÌýÌýtreating a university student who was shot and killed during a mugging in Botafogo.

Transparency

This month, it was the leaking ofÌýÌýthat the commander of Rio's BOPE, the special operations police force, was circulating pro-Nazi rhetoric and encouraging violence against protesters during theÌý. After the investigation into the officer and the messages were published in the press, he wasÌý.