2023-12-23 16:50:22
The gossip profile Choquei became one of the main topics on the internet this Friday, the 22nd, due to a tragedy.
The group’s pages, with more than 30 million followers on social media, disseminated false images of an alleged exchange of romantic messages between Vitória Canedo, 22, and comedian Whindersson Nunes. Both characters in this story denied having a relationship.
The young woman, who lived in Araguari, in the interior of Minas Gerais, had a history of depression and succumbed to the flood of defamation. She committed suicide.
Choquei’s profile received a check from readers for omitting his responsibility in publishing the false images | Photo: Reproduction/Twitter/X
Even after the matter had repercussions on social media, the gossip page continued with its publications. Just turned off the post which contained false information, but there was no retraction. Afterwards, Choquei informed his followers about Jéssica’s death.
Read more: “Owner of Choquei locks profile after young man’s suicide”
The fact that Choquei continued publishing on an industrial scale caught the public’s attention, despite the tragedy that involved the young girl from Minas Gerais. This practice is common in large gossip profiles, managed by the entertainment agency Mynd8. Digital Banking, the marketing arm of the latter company, is the brain behind the dissemination of viral content.
How Choquei works and the gossip profile industry
“Behind the gossip and apparent frivolity are millions of advertising dollars from large companies, increasingly allocated to digital channels, as well as a network of profiles capable of guiding the Brazilian internet”, revealed the website Núcleo Jornalismo, in a report published in July 2022. “For advertisers, Digital Banking is defined as the perfect way for your brand to be part of the most viral conversations of the moment.”
Amazon, Ambev, Heinz and Mercado Livre, for example, make up Mynd8’s list of clients. These companies seek engagement with the more than 80 million followers available in the entertainment agency’s portfolio, distributed across dozens of profiles. Choquei is just one of them, but there are several others, such as Alfinetei, Otariano, Gossipdodia, Alfineteiteen, Letsgossip, Cutucas, Babados, RainhaMatos, CentralDaFama, Babados, XuxaNave, Fuxiquei, MemesTwitter and Babadeira, among others.
Read also: “The appeal messages from the 22-year-old girl who killed herself because of defamation”
These profiles are responsible for disseminating similar and ideologically aligned content — to the left. A survey by Aos Fatos and Núcleo Jornalismo, also carried out last year, showed that approximately half of all publications on Instagram by 24 Digital Banking profiles appeared on more than one profile. The study takes into account the posts from June 5th to 12th, 2022.
“The pages made 1,472 posts in the period, of which 694 (47.1%) were repeated”, says the text. “The survey considered repeated posts about the same subject, fact or event that appeared on more than one profile with similar captions or images.”
In total, 194 topics were shared repeatedly, and each appeared on between 3 and 4 profiles, on average.
Repercussion | Choquei’s posts on Twitter/X receive warning of fake news
When asked if it interfered in matters to be disclosed to the public, the marketing agency denied it. “Digital Banking today has a complete commercial team, being in charge of all advertising negotiations with profiles, but without editorial interference”, he stated, in July last year.
However, Choquei’s owner, Raphael Sousa, told the magazine Piauí who decided not to renew the contract with Digital Banking because he would like to have more control over the business. The agreement would have ended in December 2021, but, until July of the following year, Choquei still appeared on the Banca Digital website as one of the associates.
+ Read more news from Brazil in Oeste
“Sousa decided not to renew the contract because all work would need to be intermediated by Digital Banking”, says the report. “Before, he had the autonomy to negotiate the fees for ‘VIP presences’ and monitor the recording of artists’ DVDs, for example.”
Janja’s partner, supporter of the Lula government
Although dedicated to entertainment and gossip, Choquei’s main focus is politics. The profile is known for spreading positive messages about President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The story began before the election and continues to this day.
Report published by the magazine Piauíon November 1st last year, shows the close relationship between Raphael Sousa, creator of the page, and the future first lady, Janja.
“The future first lady became a source for Goiás photographer Raphael Sousa, 28 years old, founder of Choquei”, says the report. “The two got closer, and Janja also invited him to get on the official sound car on Avenida Paulista to follow Lula’s victory speech, but Sousa couldn’t go because he was out of the city. According to him, their relationship was born through direct messages via Instagram in the first half of the year, when their specialized profile in the world of celebrities was emerging in another area.”
Tragedy | Arrested on January 8, painter tries to commit suicide
On Twitter it is possible to see that Janja followed Choquei and interacted with the profile, through likes and comments on publications. Despite saying he is uninterested in politics, Sousa shares content against former president Jair Bolsonaro. “In fact, I position myself against President Bolsonaro, due to his poor management of the pandemic,” Sousa explained to Piauí.
At another time, the owner of Choquei participated in a live on the left-wing channel Diário do Centro do Mundo.
Another member of Choquei also has friendly relations with the Workers’ Party. This is Edson José da Silva Júnior, or Júnior Silva, who received a tribute at the Chamber of Nova Andradina, in Ceará.
“During the 2022 election campaign, Júnior had the opportunity to meet the candidate for President of the Republic Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, through direct contact between the journalist and Janja, who is a follower of the Choquei profile on Instagram”, reports the Chamber of Nova Andradina. “In June 2022, something that until then was a dream for the young journalist Júnior became reality, he had the unique opportunity to meet Lula and Janja in the Brazilian capital.”
Young man committed suicide after Choquei defamation
Jéssica Vitória Canedo, 22 years old, committed suicide this Friday, in Minas Gerais. A few days ago, the young woman became the target of fake news, published by the gossip profile Choquei, on Twitter/X. She will be held in Araguari, in the interior of the state.
Known for sharing information without verification, Choquei released images of supposed romantic dialogues between Jéssica and comedian Whindersson Nunes. The two denied having a relationship.
“I have no idea who this girl is, and this is a print fake”, said Whindersson, at the time. “This has gone beyond the limit,” the young woman wrote on Instagram, days before taking her own life.
Raphael Sousa, one of the owners of Choquei, mocked Jéssica’s text, as it was supposedly long. “Tell her that the Enem essay has already passed,” he said. “For God’s sake!” After the repercussions of the case, Sousa deleted his profile.
Ines Oliveira, Jéssica’s mother, even recorded a video to ask the gossip page to stop sharing false information about her daughter. Nothing helped.
The reader can follow the full story about Choquei by clicking on this link.
Update at 5:24 pm: the term fake news was replaced by defamation, as it better suits the case involving Choquei and Jéssica Vitória Canedo, 22 years old.
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