This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/19/whatsapp-ban-brazil-facebook

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
WhatsApp officially un-banned in Brazil after third block in eight months WhatsApp officially un-banned in Brazil after third block in eight months
(about 2 hours later)
Brazil’s federal supreme court has suspended a judge’s ruling ordering mobile phone companies to indefinitely block access to Facebook Inc’s WhatsApp – the third such decision against the popular phone messaging app in eight months. Brazil’s federal supreme court has suspended a judge’s ruling ordering mobile phone companies to indefinitely block access to Facebook’s WhatsApp – the third such decision against the popular phone messaging app in eight months.
The Rio de Janeiro judge Daniela Barbosa ruled that access to the application should be blocked immediately because WhatsApp’s owner, Facebook, had shown “total disrespect for Brazilian laws”. Her decision said Facebook was repeatedly asked to intercept messages sent through the service to help in a criminal investigation in the city of Caxias, outside Rio. The Rio de Janeiro judge Daniela Barbosa ruled that access to the application should be blocked immediately because WhatsApp’s owner, Facebook, had shown “total disrespect for Brazilian laws”.
Her decision said Facebook was repeatedly asked to intercept messages sent through the service to help in a criminal investigation in the city of Caxias, outside Rio.
But hours later, her ruling was reversed by supreme court president Ricardo Lewandowski, who said that it seemed “scarcely reasonable or proportional.”But hours later, her ruling was reversed by supreme court president Ricardo Lewandowski, who said that it seemed “scarcely reasonable or proportional.”
In a post on Facebook, WhatsApp’s CEO, Jan Koum, said: “It’s shocking that less than two months after Brazilian people and lawmakers loudly rejected blocks of services like WhatsApp, history is repeating itself.”In a post on Facebook, WhatsApp’s CEO, Jan Koum, said: “It’s shocking that less than two months after Brazilian people and lawmakers loudly rejected blocks of services like WhatsApp, history is repeating itself.”
In February, a judge from north-eastern state of Alagoas made a similar ruling in a separate investigation, but the order was overturned hours later.In February, a judge from north-eastern state of Alagoas made a similar ruling in a separate investigation, but the order was overturned hours later.
Whatsapp was also briefly blocked in December after an order by a judge in São Paulo. Hours later, a separate judge lifted the restrictions on that grounds that “it does not seem reasonable that millions of users are affected” because of the company’s wrongdoing.Whatsapp was also briefly blocked in December after an order by a judge in São Paulo. Hours later, a separate judge lifted the restrictions on that grounds that “it does not seem reasonable that millions of users are affected” because of the company’s wrongdoing.
“In recent months, people from all across Brazil have rejected judicial blocks of services like WhatsApp,” a company spokesman said. “We’re pleased that people can access WhatsApp again in Brazil,” a company spokesman said. “The Supreme Court swiftly rejected today’s block, finding that it was disproportionate and violated people’s fundamental freedom of expression.
“Indiscriminate steps like these threaten people’s ability to communicate, to run their businesses, and to live their lives. As we’ve said in the past, we cannot share information we don’t have access to. We hope to see this block lifted as soon as possible.” In his decision, the chief justice stressed how people from across Brazil, including members of the judiciary, rely on WhatsApp to communicate with others every day, and that they bear the greatest burden when a service is blocked. We hope that this puts an end to blocks that have punished millions of Brazilians and that people can continue using services like WhatsApp to stay in touch with those who matter to them.”