Telegram may work again in Brazil after judge overturns suspension

Telegram’s suspension in Brazil is canceled this Saturday (29) by federal judge Flávio Lucas of the 2nd Specialized Panel of the TRF-2 (Federal District Court for the 2nd District). The application was suspended from the country last Wednesday (26) in an injunction taken by the Linhares Federal Court at the request of the Federal Police (PF).

Also read: Telegram suspended in Brazil after court order

“A complete suspension of the service is unreasonable given the widespread national-territorial pretense regarding the freedom of communication of thousands of people who are absolutely unfamiliar with the facts under investigation,” Lucas said.

From the new measure messaging app can now run regularly in the country. In the first decision, phone companies Vivo, Claro, Tim and Oi should cut off the app’s access to the network. Additionally, Apple and Google have been notified to remove Telegram from their app stores – only in the App Store, but the app has been removed.

Despite the lifting of the suspension measure, Lucas retained the initial R$1 million daily fine. Telegram was banned from the country for not providing complete data on neo-Nazi groups, including the identification of members and administrators.

Organization of social networks

Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov reported on Thursday (27) that it is “technologically impossible” to provide the data requested by the Brazilian Ministry of Justice. He also stated that the app’s mission is “to protect privacy and freedom of expression worldwide.”

The judge’s decision also points out that: Regulation of social networks in Brazil. The theme gained prominence after attacks on schools, especially on messaging apps like Telegram itself.

Lucas points out that “it is necessary to create clearer and more specific rules to prevent abuses, to protect both society and users in a balanced way, to significantly weight individual and collective rights and constitutional interests.”