In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict between Elon Musk and the Brazilian judiciary, the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has been suspended in the country. This decision comes after X refused to comply with a court order to appoint a legal representative in Brazil. The order was issued by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has been a vocal critic of X’s content moderation policies and its stance on free speech.
Judge de Moraes argued that X has been contributing to an environment of impunity and lawlessness on Brazilian social networks, particularly during the 2024 local elections. He accused the platform of failing to adequately address the spread of misinformation and of promoting a culture of disrespect for Brazilian laws.
The judge’s order also included a hefty fine of over $3 million against X, which the platform has refused to pay. Additionally, individuals caught using VPNs to circumvent the ban and access X would be subject to daily fines of 50,000 reais ($8,900).
Prior to the suspension, X had warned that such a move was likely, citing the judge’s alleged threats and actions against its legal representative in Brazil. The company alleged that its legal representative was subjected to imprisonment threats and had her bank accounts frozen by Judge de Moraes, despite attempting to defend X in court.
Musk, in a series of posts on X, criticized Judge de Moraes and the Brazilian government, calling their actions an attack on free speech and democracy. He accused the Brazilian regime of being afraid of the truth and of trying to silence anyone who dares to challenge their narrative.
This latest development marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Musk and the Brazilian government. It follows a series of clashes over the platform’s handling of content moderation, its stance on far-right accounts, and the spread of misinformation on the platform. The suspension of X in Brazil raises concerns about the role of social media in democratic societies and the delicate balance between free speech and the need to combat misinformation and hate speech.
The feud between Musk and the Brazilian judiciary has also extended to Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet provider. On August 30th, Starlink’s bank accounts in Brazil were frozen, further deepening the rift between Musk and the Brazilian government. The future of X and Starlink in Brazil remains uncertain, with the conflict likely to continue in the courts.
