Brazil Bans X (Formerly Twitter) for Failing to Comply with Court Orders
In a dramatic turn of events, X, formerly known as Twitter, has been banned in Brazil after failing to meet a deadline set by a Supreme Court judge to name a new legal representative in the country. Alexandre de Moraes ordered the “immediate and complete suspension” of the social media platform until it complies with all court orders and pays existing fines.
The dispute between X and the Brazilian authorities began in April when the judge ordered the suspension of dozens of X accounts for allegedly spreading disinformation. Reacting to the decision, X owner Elon Musk criticized the move, stating, “Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes.”
The social media network, which is used by at least a 10th of Brazil’s 200 million inhabitants, saw some users reporting that access to the platform was no longer possible by Saturday morning. X had closed its office in Brazil earlier this month, citing threats to its legal representative if she did not comply with what the company described as “censorship” and illegal orders under Brazilian law.
Justice Moraes had ordered that X accounts accused of spreading disinformation, many of which supported former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, be blocked while under investigation. He warned that the company’s legal representatives would be held liable if any accounts were reactivated.
X has been threatened with fines for refusing to comply with the order, with critics in Brazil, including the company and Mr. Musk, accusing the judge of being left-wing. This is just the latest clash involving the tech billionaire, who has also faced challenges in the EU and the UK over regulation issues.
The head of Brazil’s telecommunications agency, tasked with suspending the platform, confirmed that they are proceeding with compliance. Justice Moraes has given companies like Apple and Google a five-day deadline to remove X from their application stores and block its use on iOS and Android systems.
The ban will remain in effect until X names a new legal representative in Brazil and pays fines for violating Brazilian law. In response, X had previously stated that they would not comply with the demands, citing concerns about breaking Brazilian laws.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the bank accounts of Mr. Musk’s satellite internet firm Starlink have been frozen in Brazil following an earlier order by the Supreme Court. Starlink responded, stating that the order was based on an unfounded determination that they should be responsible for fines levied against X.
Justice Moraes, who has gained prominence for his decisions to restrict social media platforms in Brazil, is also investigating Mr. Bolsonaro and his supporters for their alleged roles in an attempted coup last year. X is not the first social media company to face pressure from Brazilian authorities, with Telegram and Meta’s Whatsapp also having been temporarily banned in the past for non-compliance with requests.
