X, formerly known as Twitter, has made headlines after closing its office in Brazil amidst a censorship row with the Brazilian Supreme Court. The social media platform took this drastic step after a judge, Alexandre de Moraes, threatened its legal representative in Brazil with arrest if it did not comply with his “censorship orders”.
The controversy began when Mr. Moraes ordered X to block accounts accused of spreading disinformation, many of which were supporters of the former right-wing president Jair Bolsanaro. When X owner Elon Musk criticized Mr. Moraes, the judge imposed hefty fines for any reactivated accounts and even put Musk under investigation for obstruction of justice.
In response, X stated that its Brazilian staff had no control over content blocking and accused Mr. Moraes of threatening staff instead of respecting the law. The company announced the closure of its Brazil operation to protect the safety of its employees, placing the blame squarely on Mr. Moraes and denouncing his actions as undemocratic.
Musk took to X to express his support for the decision, stating that there was “no question that Moraes needs to leave”. He acknowledged the difficulty of closing the office but emphasized that complying with Mr. Moraes’ demands would be shameful.
The situation has sparked debate and division among Brazilians, particularly among supporters of former president Bolsonaro, who have a contentious relationship with Mr. Moraes. The closure of X’s office in Brazil serves as a stark reminder of the power dynamics at play between social media platforms and government authorities in the realm of free speech and censorship.
