Spain’s High Court has issued an order suspending the operations of messaging app, Telegram, within the country, after media houses including Atresmedia, EGEDA, Mediaset, and Telefonica complained about Telegram users uploading unauthorised content.
Effective from Monday, 25th March onwards, Telegram will undergo temporary suspension in Spain will undergo temporary suspension. Spanish Judge Santiago Pedraz sanctioned the halt to Telegram’s services as investigations into the media claims continue.
Mobile phone providers have also been tasked with enforcing the blockade of Telegram’s services, as per a source from the court.
According to data from the company, Telegram boasted over 700 million monthly active users globally in 2023. It is also the fourth most popular messaging service in Spain, with nearly 19% of Spaniards being users of the platform, according to the Spanish National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC). The court’s ruling could affect Telegram’s standing in Spain, however.
