Telegram CEO claims complying with Brazil order impossible
SAO PAULO (AP) On Thursday, Telegram's CEO announced that the company would appeal a Brazilian judge's decision to block access to its platform in Brazil for failing to provide data on neo-Nazi activity, citing that compliance was "technologically impossible." Pavel Durov, in a statement posted on his Telegram account, emphasized the company's mission to "preserve privacy and freedom of speech around the world," and stated that when local laws or unfeasible requirements contradict this mission, they may have to leave markets. Telegram has previously been blocked by several governments, including China, Iran, and Russia, where it has been used as a tool in President Putin's Ukrainian conquest.
Durov added that the Brazilian judge had demanded data that was impossible for the company to obtain, and he was defending the "right to private communication" for Brazilian users. While Telegram users can post publicly to channels they create or join, the company claims that "secret chats" between individual users are encrypted. The company's press office in the UAE did not respond to requests for comment.
The judge who ordered the blocking of Telegram in Brazil also set a daily fine of approximately $200,000 for noncompliance, which was enforced by internet providers and wireless carriers. It is unclear whether Telegram intends to pay the fine. The federal court ruling in Espírito Santo state cited "the facts shown by police authorities" and accused Telegram of failing to cooperate with the investigation into school violence.
The Brazilian police are specifically interested in content related to these incidents, which have been on the rise in the country. In November, a man with a swastika pinned to his vest opened fire in the small town of Aracruz, killing four people and injuring 12. The Brazilian federal government has been working to address the issue of school violence, with a particular focus on the alleged negative influence of social media. Last year, a Brazilian Supreme Court justice ordered a nationwide shutdown of Telegram, claiming that the company had repeatedly ignored requests for cooperation. Telegram issued an apology after the five-day blockage, claiming that they had not received the court's communications.