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]
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