The Philippine Online Chronicles

The government of Brazil on February 6 filed a lawsuit against the social media giant Twitter demanding the suspension of the accounts of users who warn citizens of police radar speed traps and roadblocks.

According to CNET, the preliminary injuction filed by Brazil's Attoney-General claims that the roadblock warnings are putting people in danger because the police can't properly do their jobs. The Brazilian government also claimed that the users are breaking the country's penal, criminal, and traffic codes.

The lawsuitt orders Twitter to pay 500,000 reals ($290,000) for each day that it does not comply with the request.

CNN reported that prior the lawsuit, users like @RadarBlitzGO is providing information about traffic jams and roadblocks, sometimes including “tip-offs about police activity.” On Monday, however, the user posted to its almost 12,000 followers a tweet saying “it's the end.” It has since stopped publishing new tweets.

Meanwhile, other traffic tweeting accounts such as @LeiSecaRJ and @PaznoTransitoGO have been tweeting objections against the lawsuit.

Twitter Inc. has yet comment on the lawsuit filed by the Brazilian government.

The preliminary injuction was filed following Twitter's announcement last week that they would selectively remove tweets and block Twitter users as per request by governments.

The announcement was met with criticisms, accusing Twitter of censorship. The company, however, responded that the policy was the only way Twitter could operate in countries where governments want to block online posts. Twitter said that despite blocking the tweets in a particular country, users elsewhere in the world can read the said posts.

The social media application was said to be an important tool in disseminating information during the revolts in the Middle East and North Africa last year.