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 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 that “Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes.”
This is just the latest in a series of clashes involving Mr. Musk, who has also had disagreements with the EU over X regulation and recently engaged in a war of words with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The head of Brazil’s telecommunications agency, tasked with suspending the platform, confirmed that they are proceeding with compliance, and X is expected to be unavailable in the country within the next 24 hours. 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.
Furthermore, individuals or businesses using VPNs to access the platform could face fines, and a ban will remain in effect until X names a new legal representative in Brazil and pays fines for violating Brazilian law. Despite the demands, X had previously stated that they would not comply, citing concerns over censorship of political opponents.
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 country’s Supreme Court. Starlink responded by stating that the order was based on an unfounded determination that they should be responsible for fines levied against X, emphasizing that SpaceX and X are separate entities with different shareholders.
The situation highlights the ongoing tensions between tech companies and government authorities in Brazil, with Justice Moraes gaining prominence for his decisions to restrict social media platforms in the country. This is not the first time a social media company has faced pressure from Brazilian authorities, as Telegram and Meta’s Whatsapp have also encountered temporary bans in the past for non-compliance with government requests.
