Isolated tribe connect to Elon Musk’s Starlink internet and become hooked on porn

Isolated tribe connect to Elon Musk’s Starlink internet and become hooked on porn
While the internet offers numerous benefits, a remote Amazonian tribe is now experiencing some of its drawbacks.

According to the United Nations, there are over 476 million indigenous people living in 90 countries worldwide.

Many indigenous communities lead isolated lives, but one tribe has become increasingly connected to society after gaining internet access. In September of last year, the Marubo people—whose huts are spread out along the Ituí River deep in the Amazon rainforest—were given access to Elon Musk’s internet service provider, Starlink.Some remote Amazonian tribes now have internet access via Starlink (allyson_reneau/Instagram)

The necessary antennas were donated by American entrepreneur Allyson Reneau, allowing the Marubo people to access the internet. This has been particularly beneficial in emergency situations. For instance, they can now quickly call for help in cases of venomous snake bites. Enoque Marubo, a Marubo leader, told The New York Times that Starlink has “already saved lives” in the few months they’ve been using it.

Starlink has also enabled tribe leaders to connect with other villages and given people the ability to communicate with family members who live far away.Allyson Reneau seen with Enoque Marubo and Edwardo Marubo (Associação Kapyvanaway/YouTube)

However, internet access has also brought some negative consequences. Tribe leaders have expressed concerns about young members being exposed to inappropriate content, such as pornography. Alfredo Marubo, leader of a Marubo association of villages, told the news outlet that young people have been sharing explicit videos in group chats, which conflicts with the tribe’s conservative traditions.

Alfredo stated, “We’re worried young people are going to want to try it,” noting that the tribe has already observed more aggressive sexual behavior from young men. He also expressed concerns that people are speaking to their families less because they are spending more time on their phones. “Everyone is so connected that sometimes they don’t even talk to their own family,” Alfredo continued.

While internet access has created a divide within the tribe, Brazilian activist Flora Dutra hopes to extend this connectivity to other remote indigenous peoples. Flora aims to eventually get Brazil’s largest remote tribe, the Yanomami, online.

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