Brazil’s First Lady Faces Misogynistic Cyber Attack

The social media account of Brazil’s First Lady, Rosangela “Janja” Silva, fell victim to a hacking incident on Monday, leading local authorities to initiate an investigation and urging the intervention of the Elon Musk-owned platform.

According to Reuters, the unidentified hacker used Janja’s account to post a series of offensive messages directed at both the first lady and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, accompanied by misogynistic slurs.

Expressing her dismay on Instagram, Silva stated, “The relentless and disrespectful attacks I face daily have reached an unprecedented level. My X account was hacked, and for an extended period, it was flooded with misogynistic and violent messages against me.” The offending posts were removed by Tuesday morning.

The Brazilian government disclosed that the federal police had launched an inquiry into the incident. Simultaneously, the solicitor general’s office revealed that it had formally approached X, formerly known as Twitter, requesting the suspension of Janja’s account while preserving all associated records.

In an official statement, the government asserted, “All necessary measures are being taken. Crimes, misogynistic rhetoric, hatred, and intolerance on social media will not be tolerated.” The breach highlights the escalating challenges posed by cyber threats and underscores the imperative to address online abuse targeting public figures.