Brazil’s Supreme Court has mandated the suspension of X, formerly known as Twitter, across the nation of over 200 million people. The decision comes amid a protracted conflict between Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes and X’s owner, Elon Musk, over the platform’s content moderation policies.
Judge Moraes initiated an investigation earlier this year after Musk refused to block accounts supporting ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, which were accused of spreading false information and hate speech. Despite Musk’s defiance, Moraes has now escalated the matter by ordering internet service providers and app stores in Brazil to restrict access to X within five days.
Musk responded to the ruling on X, calling it an attack on free speech and labeling Judge Moraes a “pseudo-judge” who is “destroying democracy for political purposes.” X also released a statement denouncing the court’s decision as illegal, vowing to publish all related documents.
Despite the ruling, X remained accessible in Brazil as of Friday morning. However, the suspension is imminent, with severe penalties for those who attempt to bypass it using VPNs. The conflict further intensified when Moraes froze the bank accounts of Starlink, another Musk-owned company, as part of the ongoing inquiry.
This situation unfolds as global scrutiny of tech giants and their billionaire owners intensifies. Musk’s legal battles in Brazil mirror challenges faced by other tech leaders, such as Telegram’s CEO, who was recently arrested in France.
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