On Friday, a Brazilian Supreme Court judge ordered the suspension of Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, in Brazil after the company failed to appoint a legal representative in the country. The decision, issued by Judge Alexandre de Moraes, escalates an ongoing dispute between Musk and Brazilian authorities over issues including freedom of expression, disinformation and the management of far-right accounts.
Judge Moraes had previously warned Musk that X could face suspension if he failed to comply with the requirement to appoint a legal representative within 24 hours. The company has not had a local representative in Brazil since earlier this month, prompting the court’s action.
“Elon Musk has demonstrated his total lack of respect for Brazilian sovereignty and, in particular, for the judiciary, by setting himself up as a true supranational entity immune to the laws of each country,” wrote de Moraes in his ruling.
X’s suspension will remain in effect until the platform complies with the court’s orders. In addition, De Moraes imposed a daily fine of 50,000 reais ($8,900) on individuals or companies that use VPNs to circumvent the ban.
In a subsequent ruling, de Moraes revised his decision to give internet service providers five days, rather than the initial immediate deadline, to block access to X. He also withdrew his directive for app stores to remove VPNs.
Brazil’s telecom regulator Anatel has 24 hours to enforce the suspension. Carlos Baigorri, Anatel’s president, said major service providers would act quickly, although smaller providers may need more time to comply.
Brazil’s Supreme Court is expected to review the case, although no date has been set for deliberations.
’40 million users in Brazil use X’
Brazil is an important market for X, with around 40 million users, or about a fifth of the population, accessing the platform monthly. Since Musk acquired the platform, formerly known as Twitter, in 2022, it has faced declining advertising revenue, making the Brazilian market even more crucial.
“What led to the dispute?”
X has expressed discontent with the suspension, arguing that it is being penalized for refusing to comply with what it describes as “illegal orders” from De Moraes to censor political opponents. The company has also accused De Moraes of threatening its Brazilian legal representative with prison, freezing her bank accounts after she resigned, and dismissing or ignoring the company’s legal appeals.
Since Musk’s acquisition, X has had multiple run-ins with Brazilian authorities over compliance with local laws and content regulation. The platform has been particularly reluctant to block certain users, including far-right politicians and activists accused of undermining democracy in Brazil.
Judge de Moraes justified his decision by pointing to Musk’s own statements, which he said suggest that X intends to continue allowing extremist and anti-democratic content on the platform. De Moraes emphasized that his decision is based on Brazilian laws that require internet service companies to maintain local representation for legal notifications and to comply with orders to remove illicit content, especially in light of upcoming municipal elections.
WhatsApp and Telegram also face threat of suspension in Brazil
X’s suspension is not unprecedented in Brazil. In the past, other tech giants such as WhatsApp and Meta’s Telegram have also faced closures or threats of closures due to non-compliance with local regulations, underscoring a broader tension between global tech companies and national jurisdictions over governance and control of digital spaces.
(With contributions from PTI)
READ MORE | Brazil’s Supreme Court gives Elon Musk’s X 24-hour ultimatum: ‘Appoint legal representative or…’
READ MORE | Elon Musk’s X abruptly ends business in Brazil: Do you know why?
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.
We respect the intellectual property rights of content creators. If you are the owner of any material featured on our website and have concerns about its use, please contact us. We are committed to addressing any copyright issues promptly and will remove any material within 2 days of receiving a request from the rightful owner.