Following alleged failure to provide all information requested by the Federal Police on neo-Nazi chat groups, a federal judge in Brazil has ordered a temporary suspension of the messaging app Telegram. The move is seen as part of the country’s efforts to curb the increase in school violence.
According to a ruling by a federal court in Espírito Santo state, Telegram messaging app has been temporarily suspended due to the platform’s alleged failure to provide all information requested by Federal Police regarding neo-Nazi chat groups. The ruling stated that the police authorities’ evidence demonstrated a clear intention by Telegram to not cooperate with the investigation. Brazil’s federal police have confirmed that the effort to block Telegram is already underway. However, Telegram’s press office has not yet responded to an Associated Press email seeking comment on whether the company was aware of the ruling and its communication with Federal Police.
Amid a surge in school attacks in Brazil, including a recent incident in which four children were killed at a day care center, the temporary suspension of messaging app Telegram has been ordered by a federal court in Espírito Santo state. The ruling cited Telegram’s alleged failure to provide requested information to federal police on neo-Nazi chat groups, which is seen as part of the country’s efforts to combat the rise in school violence. Since 2000, Brazil has experienced almost two dozen attacks or violent incidents in schools, with half of them occurring in the last 12 months.
The Brazilian federal government has been making efforts to combat school violence, with a particular emphasis on social media’s alleged negative influence. Social media platform regulation was a recurring topic during a meeting earlier this month attended by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, his ministers, Supreme Court justices, governors, and mayors. The aim is to prevent further incidents, with a focus on holding platforms accountable for not removing content that incites violence.
During an April 18 meeting, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes described social media as a “no man’s land” where users can engage in illegal actions and speech without consequence, and emphasized the need for regulation. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also expressed support for regulating social media platforms to prevent such incidents from occurring.
A year ago, Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Telegram to be shut down throughout Brazil, citing the platform’s lack of cooperation with authorities. In his ruling, he stated that Telegram had repeatedly ignored requests from Brazilian authorities, including a police request to block profiles and provide user information. He gave Apple, Google, and Brazilian phone carriers five days to remove Telegram from their platforms.
Following a nationwide shutdown order by Justice Alexandre de Moraes last year, Telegram’s founder issued a statement, citing a miscommunication due to an outdated email address, and apologized for its negligence. However, the platform was not taken down, and it continued to function in Brazil.
After former U.S. President Donald Trump was permanently suspended from Twitter in January 2021 following the Jan. 6 riots at Capitol Hill, far-right former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his allies urged their supporters to switch to Telegram.