Rio de Janeiro, 31 August 2024 (TDI): X, formerly known as Twitter, has been banned in Brazil after failing to meet a Supreme Court deadline to appoint a new legal representative in the country.
The decision was issued by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who ordered the “immediate and complete suspension” of the social media platform until it complies with court orders and pays outstanding fines.
The dispute began in April when Justice Moraes ordered the suspension of several X accounts for allegedly spreading disinformation.
In response, Elon Musk, owner of X, criticized the ruling, calling it an attack on free speech. “Free speech is the bedrock of democracy, and an unelected pseudo-judge in the country is destroying it for political purposes,” Musk said.
The head of Brazil’s telecommunications agency confirmed that steps are being taken to suspend the platform within 24 hours.
Justice Moraes has directed tech giants like Apple and Google to remove X from their app stores and block access on iOS and Android devices within five days.
The judge also warned that anyone using VPNs to access the platform could face fines of R$50,000 (£6,700).
The ban will remain in effect until X appoints a new legal representative and pays fines for violations of Brazilian law.
X had previously stated it would not comply with the court’s demands, accusing Justice Moraes of ordering the shutdown of the platform to censor his political opponents.
“We expect Judge Alexandre de Moraes will order X to be shut down in Brazil simply because we would not comply with his illegal orders to censor his political opponents,” the platform said in a statement.
Latest in Series of Legal Battles
The row with X is the latest in a series of legal battles involving Musk, who has also clashed with the European Union over regulatory issues and recently engaged in a public dispute with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Meanwhile, the bank accounts of Musk’s satellite internet company, Starlink, have been frozen in Brazil following another order by the Supreme Court.
Also Read More: Brazil Judge Threatens to Suspend X
Starlink, a subsidiary of Musk’s SpaceX, criticized the decision, stating it was “unconstitutionally” being held accountable for fines against X.
Musk defended his companies, saying, “SpaceX and X are two completely different companies with different shareholders.”