The brazilian government’s information and security system in the face of bioterrorist threats

Abstract

Terrorism aims to cause as many deaths as possible and to create psychological, economic, social and environmental instability. There are innumerable tools of communication, such as the Internet, that can be used to mobilise a population faced with an attack of this type. The objective of this study was first to investigate whether a security and information system is currently provided by the Brazilian government via the Internet, which a citizen could easily access to learn how to proceed in the event of bioterrorism and, second, to compare this system with the communication model of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. In May 2011, an exploratory study using a qualitative approach was performed that used Google to search for the terms bioterrorism, terrorism, terrorist attack, biological warfare, terrorist act, biological weapon, risk, public health and emergency. The study indicated that no formal centralised channel of communication exists in Brazil concerning bioterrorism and that locating any official or summarised information on terrorist attacks using biological agents would be difficult for a Brazilian citizen. It is suggested that the National Secretary of Civil Defence expand its information model, as it was the only consulted site that offered a clear channel of communication with the public. This site also contains information on biological agents and emergency protocols for illnesses stemming from bioterrorism, in addition to preventative information on bioterrorist attacks.