Brazil’s Supreme Court Threatens to Suspend X Amid Elon Musk Dispute
Brazil’s Supreme Court has issued a stern ultimatum to the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, threatening to suspend its operations in the country unless Elon Musk appoints a new legal representative in Brazil and settles any outstanding daily fines within 24 hours.
This latest development is part of an ongoing clash between Musk and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, centred on issues of free speech and the spread of alleged disinformation. Earlier this month, X announced plans to shut down its operations and lay off its staff in Brazil, citing what it described as “censorship orders” from Justice de Moraes.
De Moraes had previously ordered X to block several accounts he claimed were disseminating false information. In response, X decided to close its Brazilian operations, accusing the judge of overstepping his authority.
The Supreme Court’s latest statement, signed by Justice de Moraes and posted on the court’s official X account, directly tagged both Musk and X’s Global Government Affairs account. The court gave Musk until Thursday evening to comply with its demands.
Musk responded to the announcement on X, accusing Justice de Moraes of repeatedly violating the laws he is sworn to uphold.
Censorship Controversy
On August 17, X released a detailed statement explaining its decision to cease operations in Brazil, blaming Justice de Moraes for issuing what the company called “censorship orders.” The statement emphasized that despite multiple appeals to the Supreme Court, the Brazilian public was not informed about these orders, and the company’s staff in Brazil had no control over content being blocked on the platform.
“To protect the safety of our staff, we have made the decision to close our operation in Brazil, effective immediately. The X service remains available to the people of Brazil. We are deeply saddened that we have been forced to make this decision. The responsibility lies solely with Alexandre de Moraes,” the statement read.
Later that day, Musk reiterated the company’s position on X, stating that the platform had “no choice” but to shut down local operations in Brazil due to demands from Justice de Moraes that allegedly required the company to violate various laws.
The escalating feud between Musk and Brazil’s Supreme Court raises significant concerns about the future of X’s presence in the country and the broader implications for free speech and legal authority in Brazil.
