Tonight, a Brazilian judge blocked WhatsApp for more than 100 million people who rely on it in her country.
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A judge in Sao Bernardo do Campo – an industrial suburb of Sao Paulo – issued the order for the suspension of WhatsApp’s services.
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An appeals court judge in Brazil, on Thursday, overturned the 48-hour ban which a lower court had imposed on the Facebook-owned WhatsApp instant messaging service in the country.
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The ban comes in the wake of Brazilian phone companies calling for the government to restrict the use of free internet communication tools, arguing the rise of WhatsApp has damaged their businesses.
“This is a sad day for Brazil”, says Zuckerberg.
“Thank you to everybody in Brazil for your support in getting WhatsApp back online”, said Jan Koum, the founder of WhatsApp, in a post.
While the app was still blocked, the directors of WhatsApp and Facebook criticized the move. Meanwhile, The Associated Press reports competing apps including Viber and Telegram have spiked in popularity since the WhatsApp blockage.
In a statement, Sao Paulo’s criminal court system said only that WhatsApp had been handed two prior judicial orders this year that the California-based company failed to heed.
The WhatsApp ban may just be the start of Brazilian authorities trying to control citizens’ online behaviour.
Facebook is “working hard to get this block reversed”, according to Zuckerberg, who reminded users that Facebook Messenger “is still active”. This means that many choose to keep in touch with friends and family via internet messaging services, rather than pricier voice calls or text messages.
“This is insane. It’s ruining my “secret Santa” party!'” said Caroline Largueza, as she furiously tapped away on her smartphone in a Rio de Janeiro mall.
It’s worth remembering that Brazil already has a high cost of living – services and products often cost the same price as they do in the United Kingdom – but people often only a about a third of the wage they would here.
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Facebook urged users to complain in the hope that the judge will reverse the order.
