A Brazilian Supreme Court justice has ordered the immediate suspension of social media platform X in the country after the company failed to comply with court orders. The decision, made by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, requires X to pay fines totaling 18.5 million reais ($3.28m) and to nominate a legal representative in Brazil. Failure to do so resulted in the suspension of the platform until further notice.
This move is part of a larger feud between de Moraes and billionaire Elon Musk, which also led to the freezing of Musk’s company Starlink’s financial accounts in Brazil. De Moraes has ordered the country’s telecommunications regulator to ensure the suspension is carried out and to report back within 24 hours.
In response to concerns about individuals using virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass the blockage, de Moraes warned that fines of up to 50,000 reais ($8,900) a day could be imposed on those attempting to access X through unauthorized means.
X, formerly known as Twitter, had previously been ordered by de Moraes to block certain accounts linked to digital militias accused of spreading misinformation and hate. Musk, who condemned the order as censorship, closed X’s offices in Brazil in protest. Despite the ongoing dispute, X announced that its services would still be available in the country.
Meanwhile, Starlink has requested the Supreme Court to suspend the decision to freeze its bank accounts in Brazil. The legal battles and tensions between Musk, X, and the Brazilian government remain ongoing and continue to attract attention.
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