Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) owned popular and influential instant messaging application, WhatsApp recently got into trouble, when a Judge in Brazil passed the suspension order to abstain the globally popular instant messaging app, according to the Guardian. The order was passed after the Facebook owned app failed to cooperate in an investigation.
WhatsApp still being used
The suspension order was passed earlier this month by Judge Luiz de Moura Correia. However even after the suspension order the service continued to operate normally because lawyers appealed against the ruling, according to newspaper Folha de S. Paulo.
The case is still ongoing, and the judge did not provided much details of the decision. However, a press officer at the Piaui state’s Public Safety Department says the case is linked to “sexually graphic photos of children on the app.”
WhatsApp has still not responded anything on the matter. Since, WhatsApp does not have an office in Brazil so the judge’s order was communicated and delivered to the cell phone operators.
Association of operators in Brazil, SindiTelebrasil, says on its website that the decision of suspension could cause a huge losses to millions of Brazilians, who use who use the popular Facebook app for personal and professional reasons. Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) last year paid nearly $22 billion to acquire the mobile messaging service.
Facebook adds to gender options
In separate news, Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) informed that it is going to introduce a new gender option. From now onwards, Facebook users will be able to give any gender they want into a custom box.
“We recognize that some people face challenges sharing their true gender identity with others, and this setting gives people the ability to express themselves in an authentic way,” Facebook said.
The change follows an update last year that increased the gender options, which earlier included only male, female or no response. With last year’s update, users were allowed to type to the gender descriptor after choosing “other,” with Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) giving them suggestions. Now, users can type their own descriptor, and choose whether or not it is shown publicly.
So, now when a user goes to profile for editing gender, they will still be getting a drop down menu of options when they start typing, but now their choice need not to be same as there in the dropdown menu. Google+ introduced the same feature months ago.
