NEO-NAZI INVESTIGATIONS
Brazil takes action against Telegram
A Brazilian court has ordered the nationwide blocking of the messenger app Telegram. Operators of the online service had refused to provide Brazilian authorities with data on members of neo-Nazi groups on Telegram, Justice Minister Flavio Dino said. The move is seen as part of the country's measures against rising violence in schools.
Online as of 7:58 a.m. today
The court had fined Telegram one million reais (about 180,000 euros) a day for ignoring requests from authorities as part of an investigation into neo-Nazi activity on online networks. It also ordered the "temporary suspension" of the online service, the court said Wednesday. "There are groups called 'Anti-Semitic Front' and 'Anti-Semitic Movement' active on these networks, and we know that they are at the core of violence against our children," it added, referring to a wave of attacks at schools.
Google and Apple must block app
On Wednesday, several Telegram users and users said they could no longer use the messaging app after local operators complied with the ruling. Google and Apple were also ordered to block the app.
Online as of 7:58 a.m. today
The court had fined Telegram one million reais (about 180,000 euros) a day for ignoring requests from authorities as part of an investigation into neo-Nazi activity on online networks. It also ordered the "temporary suspension" of the online service, the court said Wednesday. "There are groups called 'Anti-Semitic Front' and 'Anti-Semitic Movement' active on these networks, and we know that they are at the core of violence against our children," it added, referring to a wave of attacks at schools.
Google and Apple must block app
On Wednesday, several Telegram users and users said they could no longer use the messaging app after local operators complied with the ruling. Google and Apple were also ordered to block the app.
Justice Minister Flavio Dino announced the suspension of Telegram on Wednesday
According to the federal court's ruling with reference to police authorities, Telegram showed a clear intention not to cooperate with the investigation. The Brazilian Federal Police confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that the attempt to block Telegram is already underway.
Violence in schools on the rise
The development comes as the country grapples with a wave of attacks on schools, including a November attack in which a 16-year-old with a swastika on his vest shot four people and wounded 12 in the small town of Aracruz in Espirito Santo state. The news portal G1, citing police sources, reported that the teenager had communicated with anti-Semitic groups on Telegram. Since 2000, there have been nearly two dozen attacks or violent incidents in schools in Brazil, half of them in the last 12 months. In March, a 13-year-old killed a teacher in a knife attack in a Sao Paulo school. In early April, a man killed four children between the ages of four and seven in a kindergarten in the southern city of Blumenau. There were two other non-fatal school attacks that same week. According to the federal justice department in Espirito Santo, investigators had asked Telegram for user data on members of two anti-Semitic groups on the platform. The company had only handed over data on the administrator of one of the groups and was unwilling to "cooperate with the ongoing investigation," according to the agency's assessment.
Social network a "no man's land"
The Brazilian government has sought to curb violence in schools, focusing in particular on the allegedly harmful influence of social networks. Regulation of social media platforms was a recurring theme at a meeting earlier this month between President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, his ministers, Supreme Court justices, governors and mayors.
Violence in schools on the rise
The development comes as the country grapples with a wave of attacks on schools, including a November attack in which a 16-year-old with a swastika on his vest shot four people and wounded 12 in the small town of Aracruz in Espirito Santo state. The news portal G1, citing police sources, reported that the teenager had communicated with anti-Semitic groups on Telegram. Since 2000, there have been nearly two dozen attacks or violent incidents in schools in Brazil, half of them in the last 12 months. In March, a 13-year-old killed a teacher in a knife attack in a Sao Paulo school. In early April, a man killed four children between the ages of four and seven in a kindergarten in the southern city of Blumenau. There were two other non-fatal school attacks that same week. According to the federal justice department in Espirito Santo, investigators had asked Telegram for user data on members of two anti-Semitic groups on the platform. The company had only handed over data on the administrator of one of the groups and was unwilling to "cooperate with the ongoing investigation," according to the agency's assessment.
Social network a "no man's land"
The Brazilian government has sought to curb violence in schools, focusing in particular on the allegedly harmful influence of social networks. Regulation of social media platforms was a recurring theme at a meeting earlier this month between President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, his ministers, Supreme Court justices, governors and mayors.
Lula wants stronger regulation of social media platforms
Speaking at the April 18 meeting, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes called social networks a "no man's land" where users and users still get away with actions and expressions that are illegal in real life, and said regulation is needed. Lula also spoke in favor of regulation.
Blocking ordered once before
Last year, de Moraes ordered a nationwide shutdown of Telegram because the company had not cooperated with authorities. He said in his decision that Telegram had repeatedly ignored requests from authorities, including a police request to block profiles and provide information about a user, and gave Apple, Google and Brazilian phone companies five days to block Telegram on their platforms. At the time, one of Telegram's operators issued a statement saying it was a misunderstanding due to an outdated email address. He subsequently apologized to the Supreme Court for his negligence. The platform was not shut down. Ultra-right former President Jair Bolsonaro and his allies encouraged their followers and supporters to join Telegram after January 2021. At the time, the U.S. Capitol was stormed by supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump was banned from the Twitter messaging platform at the time.
Blocking ordered once before
Last year, de Moraes ordered a nationwide shutdown of Telegram because the company had not cooperated with authorities. He said in his decision that Telegram had repeatedly ignored requests from authorities, including a police request to block profiles and provide information about a user, and gave Apple, Google and Brazilian phone companies five days to block Telegram on their platforms. At the time, one of Telegram's operators issued a statement saying it was a misunderstanding due to an outdated email address. He subsequently apologized to the Supreme Court for his negligence. The platform was not shut down. Ultra-right former President Jair Bolsonaro and his allies encouraged their followers and supporters to join Telegram after January 2021. At the time, the U.S. Capitol was stormed by supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump was banned from the Twitter messaging platform at the time.
Messenger Telegram
Telegram has been under criticism for quite some time. The online service has a reputation for allowing any content without moderation. The size of groups and the forwarding of messages are virtually unrestricted. This attracted actors, especially during the corona virus pandemic, who were blocked on platforms like YouTube and Facebook for misinformation or inflammatory content.
jkla, ORF.at/agencies
Source (Austria)
