X Banned in Brazil Following Supreme Court Ruling
In a significant legal development, X has been banned in Brazil after failing to meet a Supreme Court judge’s deadline to appoint a new legal representative in the country. The ruling, issued by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, mandates the “immediate and complete suspension” of the platform until it complies with court orders and pays outstanding fines.
The situation escalated in April when the judge ordered the suspension of multiple X accounts for purportedly disseminating disinformation. This crackdown has drawn sharp criticism from X’s owner, who asserted that the ruling threatens free speech and democracy.
X, which boasts a user base of at least 20 million people in Brazil, is facing a complete access ban, with users reporting inaccessibility as of Saturday morning. Earlier this month, the company closed its Brazilian office, claiming that its representative faced threats of arrest for not complying with what it labeled as “censorship” in violation of Brazilian law.
Justice de Moraes has ordered the suspension of accounts linked to disinformation spreaders, primarily targeting supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro. The judge has also stated that any legal representatives of X would be held liable if these accounts were reactivated.
The company is under pressure to comply, facing potential fines for non-compliance. X and its owner have criticized the judge’s actions, alleging political bias. This incident represents yet another challenge for the tech billionaire, who has encountered several disputes over platform regulation in recent months.
Brazil’s telecommunications authority is moving forward with the enforcement of the suspension. The court has also issued a five-day ultimatum to major tech companies, such as Apple and Google, to remove X from their app stores and restrict access on iOS and Android devices. Users attempting to bypass the ban via VPNs could face substantial fines.
A previous statement from X indicated its refusal to comply with the court’s demands, highlighting the conflict over free speech and legal requirements in Brazil.
In addition to these developments, the bank accounts of Musk’s satellite internet company in Brazil have been frozen following a Supreme Court order, which has also drawn criticism from Starlink, asserting that the ruling is unconstitutional.
This is not the first instance of Brazilian authorities taking action against social media companies; other platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp have faced temporary bans for similar non-compliance issues in the past.
