Brazil’s Supreme Court on Sunday revoked the nationwide ban on messaging app Telegram after it successfully complied with the court orders and the country’s laws.
For those unaware, Brazil’s Supreme court had issued a ban on Telegram as the messaging app failed to comply with the court’s orders regarding an arrest warrant issued in the name of a blogger Allan dos Santos who is an ally of the current president Jair Bolsonaro and has been accused of spreading fake news via Telegram. The activist, a fugitive now based in the United States, has remained active on Telegram.
Telegram had also ignored requests from Brazilian authorities, including a police request to block profiles and provide information linked to the blogger. Telegram had also failed to name a legal representative in Brazil, unlike its competitors
The court had given Telegram till Sunday to comply with its orders. Telegram founder Pavel Durov responded by apologizing for the company’s “negligence” in replying to court orders and the company also complied by blocking the accounts spreading misinformation.
Telegram also appointed Alan Campos Elias Thomaz as its legal representative in Brazil, the court statement said, fulfilling a key request.
The Supreme Court statement of Justice Moraes said Telegram had shown “full compliance.” He also added, “I revoke the decision of complete suspension of the operation of Telegram in Brazil.”
This move by Moraes has given birth to debates regarding freedom of speech and fake news. The supporters of Bolsonaro on the right are calling this judicial overreach.
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(Via)
