WhatsApp restored in Brazil after brief block

A judge in Brazil struck down a lower court ruling to block use of the messaging service WhatsApp for 48 hours for reportedly failing to comply with an order in a criminal case.

According to Reuters, the shut down is linked to a criminal proceeding in São Bernardo do Campo, but details on the case are being kept secret by the judge. However, The Associated Press reports a higher court ruled the blockage was unconstitutional, and ordered service be restored.

In a statement posted on Facebook early Thursday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg -- whose company owns WhatsApp -- says the judge's decision stemmed from efforts to "protect people's data." Zuckerberg also says more than 100 million people use WhatsApp in Brazil.

"This is a sad day for Brazil," says Zuckerberg. "Until today, Brazil has been an ally in creating an open internet."

WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum also criticized the judge's decision in a separate post. "We are disappointed in the short-sighted decision to cut off access to WhatsApp, a communication tool that so many Brazilians have come to depend on, and sad to see Brazil isolate itself from the rest of the world," says Koum.

Zuckerberg urged WhatsApp users to go to Facebook Messenger until WhatsApp is available for use. Meanwhile, The Associated Press reports competing apps including Viber and Telegram have spiked in popularity since the WhatsApp blockage.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.