A court in Brazil has ordered WhatsApp to be temporarily shut down.
A judge in Sao Paulo ordered a 48-hour blackout of the service, which is used by more than 90% of people living in Brazil.
The judge did not reveal the name of the company or individual responsible for the injunction.
However the country's telecommunications companies have repeatedly complained about the growth of WhatsApp, calling it unregulated and illegal.
They argued to the government that WhatsApp's free calling option has resulted in a marked decrease in people signing up to mobile phone contracts.
In August Amos Genish, the president of Brazilian telecoms firm Vivo, accused WhatsApp of "pure piracy".
It is the latest authoritarian move against internet freedom in Brazil.
The country's congress - led by a former telecoms lobbyist - wants to bring in laws that would force Brazilian citizens to enter their tax identification, address and phone number to use websites and apps.
WhatsApp is owned by Facebook, and founder Mark Zuckerberg posted a response to the move on his Facebook page.
He said: "This is a sad day for Brazil. Until today, Brazil has been an ally in creating an open internet. Brazilians have always been among the most passionate in sharing their voice online.
"I am stunned that our efforts to protect people's data would result in such an extreme decision by a single judge to punish every person in Brazil who uses WhatsApp.
"We hope the Brazilian courts quickly reverse course. If you're Brazilian, please make your voice heard and help your government reflect the will of its people."
He urged people to use Facebook Messenger in the meantime.
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