THE Telegram is in the sights of authorities in Brazil and, therefore, has become one of the most talked about subjects in the last week. According to an investigation carried out by the teams to combat fake news, the messenger has been used as a platform for the propagation of various false information about candidates for the 2022 elections. Telegram received a notification, but did not respond, and now authorities already consider the blockade in Brazil “inevitable”.
Telegram may actually be banned in Brazil
Notified by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), and investigated by the Federal Police and the Federal Public Ministry, Telegram is seen as a tool for spreading fake news by supporters and voters of rival parties, as well as other matters.
As the company did not respond to the notification, the authorities understand that there is no cooperation with the investigations, and this may trigger the blocking of the messenger in the country, in addition to the imposition of fines and even the acceptance of recommendations from the judiciary.
The researchers also point out that the Brazilian government’s objective is not to ask for access to the content of the conversations, but investigate the functioning of the platform, especially the moderation tools.
“Several fake news channels are being established on Telegram before the October elections. Therefore, the blockade can be considered a preventive action by electoral justice.”
Telegram has not been cooperating with investigations in Brazil, as well as in other countries that make the same allegations. Germany, for example, is also considering banning access to the messenger on its national territory. Other countries have already blocked it, but users can still use the app thanks to a proxy configuration available within Telegram’s own settings.