Book review: the digitalisation of anti-corruption in Brazil: Scandals, reforms and innovation, by Fernanda Odilla

Abstract

Corruption is a global conundrum that requires multi-faceted approaches to overcome. It is said to be as old as the history of mankind (Kuru, 2022). Societies have grappled with corruption for several generations. Conventional approaches focusing on prevention, criminalisation and law enforcement have failed to address corruption sustainably (Omelchuk et al., 2022). Consequently, contemporary initiatives seek to embrace science and technology to redefine and redesign anti-corruption measures. Countries are increasingly adopting digital tools such as mobile applications, crowdsourcing platforms, transparency portals, and digital public services to reinforce anti-corruption measures (Santiso, 2022; Adam and Fazekas, 2021). The extent to which these tools will strengthen and sustain anti-corruption efforts is an interesting subject of current (anti)-corruption literature.The Digitalisation of Anti-Corruption in Brazil: Scandals, Reforms and Innovation is a timely publication which is useful to policymakers, activists, researchers, students, practitioners, law enforcement agents, tech-savvy individuals and citizens seeking to integrate technology in anti-corruption practices. The book provides a comprehensive account of the digitalisation of anti-corruption initiatives in Brazil. It demonstrates the way digital technologies, including social media, mobile applications and chatbots are being used to fight corruption in a country that has a long history of corruption scandals. Lessons from this book could be extrapolated to inform anti-corruption reforms beyond Brazil.The book is divided into six main chapters. Chapter one sets the stage by highlighting the influence of digital technologies on fighting corruption and the need to critically evaluate their potential and effectiveness in countries with high corruption scandals (pp. 6 and 42). It describes the theoretical framework, and the key concepts used in the book. Applying the ‘web of accountability’ concept, it analyses technological changes in anti-corruption. We learn from this chapter that it was only from the late 1990s and early 2000s that digital technologies were used to fight corruption. Thus, there are still many unresolved questions concerning this advancement (p. 5). Some of those questions are addressed in the subsequent chapters of this book.Chapter two addresses accountability and digital transformation. It traces the history of corruption scandals in Brazil and discusses how they inched the country towards accountability and the digitalisation of public administration and anti-corruption. The author argues that anti-corruption reforms in Brazil have been “slow and incremental”, resulting in both bottom-up and top-down anti-corruption technologies (ACTs) (p. 20). The digitalisation of anti-corruption was an outcome of continuous efforts to digitalise public administration, such as the introduction of an electronic voting system in the 1990s, the establishment of an e-procurement platform in the early 2000s, and the creation of a transparency portal (Portal da Transparência) in 2004. We learn from this chapter that digitalisation of public services is crucial to enhancing accountability, transparency and anti-corruption. This is a good takeaway for countries where public administration remains analog.Chapter three is on the rise of integrity techies and their digital technologies. It defines integrity techies as individuals who innovate, design and develop digital anti-corruption solutions. Further, it showcases several top-down and bottom-up initiatives and digital tools which are used in fighting corruption in Brazil. Top-down ACTs include digital platforms such as Fiscobras and Portal da Transparência which are used to store, search and analyse public data; monitoring and risk-detecting bots such as ContÁgil which assists in identifying and detecting fiscal fraud and money laundering; and chatbots such as Cida which guides users in submitting complaints, reports and feedback (pp. 49–60). Bottom-up ACTs are facilitated by tech-savvy individuals who use their skills to develop grassroot solutions. These include desktop and mobile applications, ‘integrity guard’ bots, chatbots and social media platforms. This variety enables comprehensive coverage and detection of the different manifestations of corruption. A key lesson from this chapter is that government commitment to open data and transparency is a key driver of public participation in monitoring public projects and reporting issues, fostering a culture of accountability and civic involvement.In chapter four, the author argues that ACTs should be understood as socio-technical-political assemblages. Building on the previous chapters, the author applies an analytical approach developed by Mattoni (2021) to illustrate how the “web of accountability” framework positions integrity techies and their technologies in the anti-corruption field (p. 75). The author extends Mattoni’s (2024) theoretical framework by adding the political dimension to the analysis of ACTs. Therefore, a four-dimensional framework of ACTs is discussed, encompassing the symbolic, material, social, and political elements. By analysing these four elements the author was able to explain why Brazil has emerged as a top innovator of ACTs. The author attributes the proliferation of ACTs in Brazil to six factors: demand – triggered by corruption scandals; budget constraints – which motivated civil servants to devise internal solutions to expedite and streamline operations; rapid digitalisation processes – making Brazil an extensive open government data provider; abundance of IT professionals; support from law enforcement agencies; and a supportive legal framework (pp. 95–99).Chapter five discusses the outcomes, hurdles, and prospects of anti-corruption technologies. It argues that while ACTs have demonstrated a great potential in fighting corruption, their deployment and impact is constrained by challenges regarding data quality, user engagement, sustainability, and ethical considerations. These affect the overall effectiveness and durability of ACTs. As there is no consensus on the methods of assessing the impact of ACTs, the author calls for better metrics. Also, the chapter highlights the need for better regulation and ethical guidelines to ensure that ACTs are transparent, fair and auditable. Specifically, the author observes that there has been “a very low level of transparency in ACTs […], particularly in governmental ones, and their auditability remains largely confined to their developers” (p. 102). Thus, they need to be properly regulated to avoid falling into the same pits which they are designed to seal.Finally, the author concludes this book in chapter six. The conclusion reflects on the journey of digitalising anti-corruption efforts in Brazil, showing that it has been incremental and propelled by experimentation and the need to address corruption scandals. It argues that instead of outsourcing, anti-corruption solutions in Brazil are in-house oriented, invented and developed by tech-savvy civil servants and concerned citizens and civil society. The author points out various issues that require attention, including the extent of technological ownership, the contention in using ACTs, the level of user engagement, and the political will. Also, this chapter highlights the limitations of digital technologies, emphasizing the need for effective, fair, and durable technologies. Generally, it synthesises the key findings of the book and offers recommendations for future research and practice.While this book provides a comprehensive analysis of the application of ACTs in Brazil, there are several relevant issues that it does not address in detail which other scholars may be interested to explore further. First, the book does not examine in detail the privacy concerns of ACTs. Second, it does not address the cybersecurity risks associated with development and use of digital ACTs, such as hacking, data breaches and the manipulation of digital tools. Third, while the book compares Brazil’s efforts to those in other countries, it lacks a detailed comparative analysis of such technologies and their impact globally to assist in drawing best practices. Fourth, despite mentioning the need for ethical guidelines and regulations, the book does not examine in detail the existing legal and regulatory frameworks and their role in supporting the development and ethical use of digital ACTs. Fifth, the book does not address the potential and limitations of using digital ACTs in marginalised communities, especially countries affected by the digital divide. Finally, it does not explore in depth the potential biases inherent in digital technologies, such as algorithmic bias, and how these biases can affect the outcomes of anti-corruption efforts. Further research on these issues may provide a more holistic understanding of the application and impact of digital ACTs, ensuring that they are effective, ethical, and sustainable.