Telegram banned in Brazil by Supreme Court order

Popular messaging app Telegram is set to be banned in Brazil after Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled that the app disagreed with local authorities when it came to preventing the sharing of dangerous content. As a result, Telegram is likely to be removed from Apple’s App Store and other digital platforms in Brazil.

The decision comes from Minister Alexandre de Moraes, who on Friday ordered all internet providers and digital platforms in Brazil to take action to shut down Telegram’s services in the country.

ANATEL, the Brazilian communications regulator, is now urging all companies to comply with the Supreme Court’s decision. Companies that do not comply with the decision will be fined R$100,000 ($20,000) per day. This includes Apple and Google, as both companies distribute Telegram through their app stores.

9to5Mac reached out to Apple for comment, but the company declined our request.

Why Telegram is banned in Brazil

Telegram has long been under scrutiny in Brazil as the app was used by Brazilian politicians to spread fake news. There are also reports of several criminal groups and channels on Telegram providing access to drugs, guns and other illegal content.

The situation worsened when the Brazilian Federal Police asked Telegram to take down these groups and provide data on their members. However, Telegram never responded to any of these requests. Brazilian law states that companies offering online services in the country must comply with court orders when asked to do so.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Morais said that Telegram had shown “contempt for the Brazilian judiciary” as the company had had several opportunities to cooperate with law enforcement but never did.

For now, Telegram is still active in Brazil, but the app is likely to be taken off the local web at any time — unless Telegram decides to cooperate with the Supreme Court.

Swell: G1, technoblog

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