The free messaging service WhatsApp was ordered to be suspended for 48 hours by a Brazilian state judge after the company refused to share data in cooperation with a criminal investigation, but the suspension was lifted on Thursday morning.
WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, is used by half of Brazil’s population due to its affordability—a fact that has troubled traditional telecom companies, the Wall Street Journal reports. The details of the criminal case were not revealed, as it is under seal, and the legality of the block is being debated.
“This is a sad day for Brazil,” said Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg on his page. “Until today, Brazil has been an ally in creating an open Internet … I am stunned that our efforts to protect people’s data would result in such an extreme decision by a single judge to punish every person in Brazil who uses WhatsApp.”
[WSJ]
More Must-Reads from TIME
- How Donald Trump Won
- The Best Inventions of 2024
- Why Sleep Is the Key to Living Longer
- How to Break 8 Toxic Communication Habits
- Nicola Coughlan Bet on Herself—And Won
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- 22 Essential Works of Indigenous Cinema
- Meet TIME's Newest Class of Next Generation Leaders
Contact us at letters@time.com