Access to WhatsApp in Brazil was banned earlier today after a judge told phone companies to block the popular service for 48 hours for failure to comply with a July court order in a criminal case.
SindiTelebrasil, a Brazilian phone-company association, said it received the order to shut off WhatsApp text message and Internet voice telephone service throughout Latin America's largest country Wednesday afternoon. The blockade went into effect at midnight (02:00 GMT Thursday) as required by the court.
WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook Inc, says it has over 100 million personal users in Brazil. "This is a sad day for Brazil. Until today, Brazil has been an ally in creating an open internet," Facebook Inc. Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg posted.
The shutdown order came after a criminal proceeding in the Sao Paulo State Justice Tribunal in São Bernardo do Campo, the court said in a statement. SindiTelebrasil said it and its members are not party to the case.
According to Band News TV, the case involves a drug trafficker linked to the PCC, or First Command of the Capital, one of Sao Paulo's biggest and most dangerous criminal gangs. The trafficker allegedly used WhatsApp services in the commission of crimes. Band News did not say how it got its information.
"We are disappointed in the short-sighted decision to cut off access to WhatsApp, a communication tool that so many Brazilians have come to depend on, and sad to see Brazil isolate itself from the rest of the world," said Jan Koum, chief executive of WhatsApp, in a statement posted on Facebook.
According to the court, WhatsApp failed to comply with a judicial order issued July 23, the court said. Mountain View, California-based WhatsApp was notified again on Aug. 7 when the court set a fine for non-compliance. Most details of the case are being kept secret by the judge, as is allowed under Brazilian law.
WhatsApp and Facebook did not immediately respond to questions about the judge's reasons for the ban or about the Band News report.
