Mark Zuckerberg has commented on the blockade of WhatsApp for more than 100 million people who rely on it in Brazil.
According to Reuters, “A Brazilian court on Wednesday ordered telecommunications providers to block all access to the WhatsApp phone-messaging application for 48 hours throughout Brazil, Latin America’s largest country.”
According to Mark,
We are working hard to get this block reversed. Until then, Facebook Messenger is still active and you can use it to communicate instead.
This is a sad day for Brazil. Until today, Brazil has been an ally in creating an open internet. Brazilians have always been among the most passionate in sharing their voice online.
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.
We hope the Brazilian courts quickly reverse course. If you’re Brazilian, please make your voice heard and help your government reflect the will of its people.
Sinditelbrasil, a Brazilian phone company association, said the blockade of the popular text message and Internet voice telephone service for smartphones would go into effect at midnight (0200 GMT Thursday).
Brazilian phone companies have sought and failed to get the government to limit use of free voice-over-Internet (VOIP) services offered through WhatsApp, controlled by Facebook Inc . The phone companies say that the free WhatsApp calls undermine their own phone services.
The name of the petitioner seeking the injunction before a criminal court in Sao Paulo state was kept secret by the judge.
Update: WhatsApp is now back online in Brazil!
