Telegram, a popular messaging app, was ordered to be shut down nationwide by a justice of Brazil’s Supreme Court on Friday, citing the group’s refusal to cooperate with authorities. President Jair Bolsonaro, who has over 1 million followers on the platform and defends it as a key tool for his reelection campaign in October, has been hit by the move.
Telegram repeatedly ignored requests from Brazilian authorities, including a police request to block profiles and give information linked to blogger Allan dos Santos, a Bolsonaro ally accused of spreading falsehoods, according to Justice Alexandre de Moraes’ ruling. Telegram, unlike its competitors, has failed to name a legal agent in Brazil, according to the judge.
Since Telegram’s competitor WhatsApp changed its policies on message sharing, many of Bolsonaro’s supporters have turned to it. De Moraes and Brazil’s top court have been accused by the president of making rulings that are against freedom of speech.
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