The encrypted messaging app Telegram has been issued a temporary suspension order by a Brazilian court until it agrees to share information on extremist and neo-Nazi groups that use the platform. The federal police requested the suspension order after Telegram failed to comply with a previous court decision to hand over data on two neo-Nazi groups on the app, which were accused of inciting violence in schools.
A shooting in November 2022, in which a teenage killer murdered four and injured thirteen people in the municipality of Aracruz, prompted the request for data. Investigators believe the killer participated in a neo-Nazi Telegram channel, which spread videos of violent deaths and instructions on making explosives.
Due to Telegram’s non-compliance with the court order, the judge ruled that telecommunications companies in the country should begin suspending access to the messaging service and downloading of the app. Local media reported that the federal police requested the contacts of administrators and members, as well as the phone numbers of users from these groups. Last Friday, Telegram partially complied with the request by sending limited information. Telegram promotes itself as a messaging app focused on speed and privacy, and it claims that its special secret chats use end-to-end (E2E) encryption and are not stored on its servers.
The Supreme Court of Brazil ordered the suspension of Telegram last year, citing the app’s repeated refusal to adhere to judicial orders to freeze accounts spreading fake news and its failure to comply with Brazilian laws. A similar order was issued against Meta’s WhatsApp in Brazil in 2016, but it was quickly overturned.
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