Telegram has described Brazil’s proposed fake news law as an attack on democracy. The bill has also been criticized by other tech companies and citizens.
“Brazil is about to pass a law that will end free speech,” Telegram wrote in a message to users. It added that the bill would give “the government censorship powers without prior judicial oversight.”
According to Telegram, the bill is “one of the most dangerous pieces of legislation ever considered in Brazil.”
Telegram added that, “Democracy is under attack in Brazil.”
The bill has already passed the Senate and is awaiting a vote in the lower house.
Last month, the Brazilian government said that Google was engaging in “deceitful and abusive propaganda” for promoting stories criticizing the bill. On the Brazilian Google, the company displayed prominently a message that warned the bill would “make your internet worse.”
Google removed the message the same day after the government threatened a fine of 1 million reals ($200,000) an hour.
Telegram was also suspended after it refused to comply with an order demanding information about groups that were using the platform to promote violence in schools. Telegram successfully appealed the ruling.
