Brazilians joined in black humor and tech giants expressed worry over the state's heavy hand Thursday after a judge banned the hugely popular cellphone chat and voice service WhatsApp for 48 hours.
"I am stunned that our efforts to protect people's data would result in such an extreme decision by a single judge to punish every person in Brazil who uses WhatsApp," Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page, urging Brazilians to protest the decision.
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Judge Sandra Marques in Sao Bernardo do Campo in Sao Paulo state imposed the ban, which began at midnight, because the company had not complied with an order to provide information for a criminal investigation, which is secret.
WhatsApp creator Jan Koum lamented the block.
“So sad to see Brazil isolate itself from the rest of the world,” he posted on Facebook.
WhatsApp first exploded in Brazil's numerous favelas and low-income communities, where it is called "sap sap," as 3G services become more available because it is free.
It then spread to the middle classes.
