A source from the Spanish Supreme Court announced that the court has ordered the suspension of the messaging app Telegram in the country. This comes after media companies complained that the app allows users to download their content without permission, according to Reuters.
The use of Telegram in Spain will be temporarily suspended starting Monday, following requests from media companies including Atresmedia, EGEDA, Mediaset, and Telefónica.
Judge Santiago Pedraz approved the ban on Telegram services in Spain while investigations into the claims are ongoing. A court source mentioned that mobile service providers will be responsible for blocking Telegram services.
Telegram has not yet responded to the request for comment, nor has the spokesperson for the Supreme Court responded to inquiries.
According to the Competition Watchdog, Telegram is the fourth most used messaging app in Spain, with approximately 19% of Spaniards using it, according to a survey conducted by the authority.
The company reports that in 2023, it had over 700 million monthly active users worldwide.
