The government is expected to open an administrative proceeding against Telegram, which could result in the suspension of the messenger’s activities in Brazil. The measure is a consequence of the company’s failure to respond to notifications from the Ministry of Justice regarding measures to contain the spread of threats to schools.
According to Waldih Damous, National Consumer Secretary, it is not easy to maintain a dialogue with the platform:
“The deadline has already expired. Telegram is difficult to contact, difficult to communicate with. We saw this in the elections. It will be treated as an institution that did not respond to the notification from the National Consumer Secretariat. We are going to open a lawsuit. I received this information yesterday that it was the only platform that did not respond.”
The government asked the company to provide data on accounts and content published on the platform that were related to attacks on schools. This includes both groups and individuals who promote threats to the school environment.
According to the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Flávio Dino, the application is subject to sanctions if it continues to fail to comply with moderation rules stipulated by Ordinance 351. This measure was published by the government after the attacks in São Paulo.
Other measures
Given that Telegram has not cooperated with the demands of the Ministry of Justice, the government has contacted the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) in order to expedite the process. The agency may notify the messenger within the next few days, so that the platform can contribute to the investigation process.
Telegram history with national resorts
This is not the first time that Telegram has been in a difficult situation with a national agency. The company had already been fined by Minister Alexandre de Moraes.
At the time, the fine was the result of non-compliance with a court order, applied to the company during Moraes’ administration. After the fine, the company began cooperating with the Superior Electoral Court (TSE).