The Internet has influenced people's lives in both good and bad ways. Even the tribes living in the remote Amazon forests have not been able to keep themselves untouched by its influence. The people of the Marubo tribe of Amazon used to live completely away from the modern world till the last decade, but in recent times the Internet has completely changed their world. Being settled deep in the forests, they had mobile phones till 2023 but due to lack of network, they were not much influenced by modern technology. But then Elon Musk changed the whole story by launching his satellite internet Starlink in this region.
Musk's satellite internet company Starlink installed some antennas in the village of this tribe and also ensured internet access to the Morubo tribe living deep in the Amazon rainforest. After the advent of internet in September 2023, the life of the people of this tribe changed very rapidly. An investigative report by the New York Times has described the changed conditions of this village.
There were phones but no internet till 2023
According to the report, people in this village already had phones but due to lack of internet, they used them only for taking photos and talking occasionally, but when Starlink came here, life changed. Tsinema Morubo told The Times that earlier people in our tribe lived very happy. Now he leaves his work and remains busy on his mobile phone throughout the day. Our youth who should be working are becoming lazy because of the internet. They are learning the ways of the white people and are constantly being cut off from their roots. Tribe leader Alfredo Marubo said young people are watching porn videos on their phones
People were seen using their phones there. Many people were also found there watching Neymar Jr's video. According to the common people there, the internet has brought about changes in the lifestyle of the youth and children and it is a threat to our tribe. Since the advent of the internet, the youth are neither interested in farming nor in hunting.
The people of the tribe have not built anything
According to the report, even though the internet has come with many helps for the tribal people, it also has many misuses. For this reason, the company shuts down the Internet for a few hours a day. Tribal leaders said that many a times, due to the internet, incidents of fraud occur against our people and they are given wrong information. He is constantly watching pornographic videos and violent video games. The youth are finding more happiness in their outside life than in their tribal life. They are leaving the forest. The biggest threat from this is to our culture itself.
Internet is needed but in limited quantity – Morubo
Tribal leader Tsainama Morubo said that we are not saying that internet access should be eliminated. Because with the help of internet the lives of our friends have also been saved. Whenever we are in any trouble, the internet helps us a lot.
