Brazilian ban on messaging app lifted after 24 hours

Roughly 24 hours after a judge ordered telecom providers to begin blocking messaging app, WhatsApp, access to the platform has been restored.

A judge in the Brazilian state of Sergipe ordered local phone carriers to block access to WhatsApp for 72 hours, however, TechCrunch reports that his ruling was overturned on appeal.

Facebook founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, celebrated the end of the ban and called on Brazilian citizens to support legislation that would prevent such a ban from happening again.

READ: Messaging app blocked for 72 hours in Brazil

“WhatsApp is now back online in Brazil! Your voices have been heard once again. Thank you to our community for helping resolve this. That said, the idea that everyone in Brazil can be denied freedom to communicate the way they want is very scary in a democracy. You and your friends can help make sure this never happens again, and I hope you get involved,” Zuckerberg said in a post on Facebook.

Before the ban of yesterday, WhatsApp was also banned last year in December. That ban lasted just 12 hours and was a result of a similar dispute over demands from the government for WhatsApp data.