Brazil's TSE electoral authority is reportedly considering whether to ban the messaging app Telegram ahead of elections in October.
This is because Telegram has not responded to requests from the Brazilian government to help combat the spread of misinformation or hoaxes.
TSE electoral tribunal chief Luis Roberto Barroso has been trying to meet Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov since mid-December to discuss how to combat the spread of false information.
"No relevant actor in the 2022 electoral process can operate in Brazil without adequate legal representation, responsible for complying with national laws and court decisions," Barroso said in a statement.
Barroso noted that the TSE has established partnerships with nearly all of the major social media platforms to combat fake news and the spread of conspiracy theories about the legitimacy of Brazil's electoral system.
However, Telegram did not respond. Telegram itself is the second most popular messaging service application in Brazil where as many as 53% of smartphones use the Telegram application.
The TSE also warned that they would discuss the firm steps to be taken in early February and would highlight that there should be no exceptions regarding platforms operating in Brazil.
Previously Germany also did the same to ban Telegram. Last week, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said Telegram was in danger of being shut down if its service continued to violate German laws.
