Brazil Bans Musk’s X Amid Legal Battle Over Disinformation
X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has been banned in Brazil after failing to meet a Supreme Court deadline to appoint a new legal representative. The ruling, handed down by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, calls for the “immediate and complete suspension” of X until it fulfills all court orders and settles existing fines.
This clash began back in April when Justice de Moraes ordered the suspension of several X accounts accused of disseminating disinformation. Despite repeated demands, the platform did not comply, leading to this unprecedented ban.
Elon Musk, the owner of X, criticized the decision, stating, “Free speech is the foundation of democracy, and an unelected judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes.” Musk’s statement highlights his ongoing disputes with various international authorities over freedom of expression on social media.
The head of Brazil’s telecommunications agency confirmed they are moving forward with the suspension, and X is expected to be inaccessible within the next 24 hours. In addition, Apple and Google have been given a five-day deadline to remove the X app from their stores and block its use on iOS and Android devices. Individuals or businesses caught using VPNs to access X could face fines of R$50,000 (around £6,700).
The ban will remain in place until X appoints a new legal representative and pays the fines imposed for breaching Brazilian law. In a previous statement from one of its official accounts, X expressed its refusal to comply with the court’s demands. “We anticipate Judge Alexandre de Moraes will order X to shut down in Brazil simply because we refused to comply with his unlawful demands to censor his political adversaries,” the platform stated. “The core issue here is that Judge de Moraes is asking us to violate Brazil’s own laws, which we cannot do.”
Justice de Moraes’ orders have primarily targeted accounts linked to supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, accused of spreading disinformation. He has made it clear that X’s legal representatives will be held accountable if any of these suspended accounts are reactivated.
Meanwhile, Mr. Musk’s satellite internet company, Starlink, is also facing repercussions. Following a previous order from the Supreme Court, Starlink’s bank accounts in Brazil have been frozen. The company has argued that the order unjustly associates it with X’s legal troubles, stating on X that “the order is based on an unfounded determination that Starlink should be responsible for the fines levied – unconstitutionally – against X.” Musk further emphasized that “SpaceX and X are two completely different companies with different shareholders.”
Starlink, a subsidiary of Musk’s SpaceX, was authorized to operate in Brazil in 2022 under Bolsonaro’s administration. Brazil’s vast Amazon region, with its remote communities, represents a significant market for Starlink’s internet services. Justice de Moraes, who has gained a reputation for his firm stance on social media regulation in Brazil, is also leading an investigation into Bolsonaro and his allies for their involvement in an alleged coup attempt on January 8 of last year.
X is not the first platform to face such restrictions in Brazil. Telegram was temporarily banned last year for non-compliance in blocking specific profiles, and WhatsApp, owned by Meta, faced similar bans in 2015 and 2016 for refusing to provide user data to authorities.
