WhatsApp Block in Brazil Lifted Early after Judge Says 48-Hour Ban Is 'Unreasonable'
WhatsApp was supposed to be blocked in Brazil for 48 hours starting Thursday, but the ban was lifted early after a judge ruled that the duration of the suspension was unreasonable.
The company behind the chat app was ordered by the court to release information related to a drug trafficking case. However, WhatsApp failed to deliver, and Sao Paulo Judge Sandra Regina Nostre Marques ordered a 48-hour block as a consequence, according to Standard Media.
The court released a statement saying WhatsApp had failed to comply with orders twice already, The Guardian adds.
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WhatsApp chief executive Jan Koum said Judge Marques' decision was "short-sighted" because it did not consider the fact that it would isolate Brazil from the world. Users echoed this sentiment and took to Twitter to air out their grievances over the suspension.
"This is a sad day for Brazil. Until today, Brazil has been an ally in creating an open internet," the Guardian quotes Koum's statement.
Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg also said he was disappointed with the court-ordered ban on the popular messaging app.
While some WhatsApp users expressed their outrage over the temporary ban on social media, some responded by joking about it. The hashtag #Nessas48HorasEuVou (#Inthese48hoursIwill) was trending on Twitter at the time. Internet memes about various ways of passing the time made their rounds in Twitter, the report relays.
Judge Xavier de Souza, however, said the duration of the block was unreasonable and millions of WhatsApp users will be affected. So, he ordered the reinstatement of the chat app in the afternoon.
Attorney Adriano Mendes, who specializes in digital law, said WhatsApp was in a difficult position. Releasing the court-requested information could have condemned the company in the United States under its privacy policies. However, Mendes said it would have been easier if Brazil had inked the Budapest Convention in information sharing instead of implementing its own laws regarding the issue.
