A Brazilian court has ordered Apple and Google to remove the anonymous social networking app Secret from app stores as well as from users' devices. The court issued an injunction in the case, pending a final ruling, after users' complaints arose.
The case largely stems from one user who claimed the app was the reason an "intimate" photo was shared online. The user says the image identified him personally and included his full name and telephone number.
Anonymous online activity and actions against another person is illegal in Brazil. The country has laws protecting protecting users in online public forums and ensures they have the ability to identify and refute an accuser's accusations.
The court said Brazilian law specifically lays out reasons for eliminating Secret given its violations, including bullying potential.
Apple and Google have 10 days to comply with the order and if they do not, will see a $9,000 daily fine applied.
The move could have far reaching consequences for issues pertaining to freedom of speech and the right to one's privacy, which have largely confounded governments worldwide as they face a rise in technology.
But as regulators seek to curtail what they perceive as intrusion into the daily lives of its citizens, controversies will abound.
Both tech titans have options to appeal as a final ruling is yet to be made in the case. The Secret app has been extremely popular in Brazil over the past year as users have been passing along information about anti-government protests via the service, which allows users to share content with others anonymously.
Tech Times reports even though the app has come under scrutiny for allowing inappropriate and controversial material, more and more users have come on board as investment in the app grows.
In July, Secret announced it would allow Facebook users to use their login for accessing the app.
"Our community members want more friend content in their stream, beyond simply the contacts from their phone. Facebook Login gives any user the option to (completely anonymously) connect Secret to Facebook and populate your stream with Facebook friends," wrote The Secret Team in a post.
