Brazil judge bans messaging app Telegram for ignoring ruling
India Today
Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered the shutdown of messaging app Telegram nationwide, arguing it has not cooperated with authorities.
A justice of Brazil’s Supreme Court on Friday ordered the shutdown of messaging app Telegram nationwide, arguing it has not cooperated with authorities. The move is a blow to President Jair Bolsonaro, who has more than 1 million followers on the platform and defends it as a key tool for his reelection bid in October.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes said in his ruling that Telegram repeatedly ignored requests from Brazilian authorities, including a police request to block profiles and provide information linked to blogger Allan dos Santos, an ally of Bolsonaro’s accused of spreading falsehoods.
The justice added that Telegram has also failed to name a legal representative in Brazil, unlike its competitors.
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Many of Bolsonaro’s supporters have turned to Telegram since the messaging app’s competitor WhatsApp changed its policies on message sharing. The president has often accused de Moraes and Brazil’s top court of rulings that go against freedom of speech.
De Moraes, who chairs a probe on misinformation in Brazilian social media, issued a warrant for dos Santos’ arrest in October. The activist, a fugitive now based in the United States, has remained active on Telegram, though.
“The Telegram platform, at every possible opportunity, failed to heed judicial orders in a total disregard for the Brazilian judiciary,” de Moraes said in his ruling. He added the suggestion to shut down the app came from federal police.
