Brazil’s supreme court orders nationwide suspension of Elon musk’s social network X
- In Reports
- 01:59 PM, Aug 31, 2024
- Myind Staff
Brazil’s Supreme Court has mandated a nationwide suspension of Elon Musk’s social network X,formerly known as Twitter, after the company said it would not follow earlier court orders related to content moderation and the appointment of a legal representative in the country. The decision was announced on Friday, as reported by G1 Globo.
Alexandre de Moraes, the Supreme Court's top judge, has also ordered daily fines for individuals or businesses in Brazil that use virtual private networks (VPNs) or other methods to access X while the site is banned. The court’s statement on its government website indicated that the suspension would remain in effect "until the Court’s judicial decisions are complied with and the fines applied are paid." Additionally, the suspension will last "until a representative of the company in the country is appointed."
Hours after the initial order, the court issued a second order modifying some of the measures in the first 51-page document against X. The second order removed the five-day deadline for companies like Apple and Google to stop offering X downloads and VPN apps. This delay was intended to provide time for X to pay fines and appoint a legal representative.
On Wednesday, Brazil’s Supreme Court had given Musk and X 24 hours to appoint a legal representative for the country or face a nationwide suspension. The deadline passed on Thursday evening without compliance.
X’s global government affairs unit acknowledged in a statement late Thursday that it anticipated the shutdown due to its refusal to comply with de Moraes' orders. Brazil’s laws require social media companies operating in the country to have a representative to handle government takedown notices, including those related to political misinformation and incitements to violence. X had not appointed such a representative and had announced earlier this month its decision to withdraw all employees from Brazil rather than risk arrests over non-compliance.
A nationwide suspension could significantly impact X, given Brazil's large social media user base of over 171 million, according to market research by Oosga. Musk's acquisition of Twitter for $44 billion in late 2022 has seen major changes, including the reinstatement of previously banned accounts, which led many advertisers to withdraw or reduce their spending.
The World Bank halted its campaigns on X following a CBS News investigation that revealed ads from the organisation appearing alongside racist posts from accounts with extremist content. Musk has criticised de Moraes in posts after the court froze the finances of Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, in Brazil. Starlink had advertised on X under Musk’s management, and Musk had encouraged Brazilians to use Starlink to access the platform.
De Moraes’ court has imposed fines on X for alleged violations of Brazilian law and frozen Starlink’s finances to ensure payment. Critics argue that the court’s actions represent an overreach, noting previous suspensions of Meta-owned WhatsApp and Telegram in Brazil.
On Friday, Musk likened de Moraes to the movie villain Voldemort and described his actions as “the evil tyranny of Moraes.” Following the suspension news, Musk posted on X, “The oppressive regime in Brazil is so afraid of the people learning the truth that they will bankrupt anyone who tries.”
Representatives for X and the U.S. embassy in Brazil were not immediately available for comment. Musk has repeatedly denounced de Moraes' court orders as censorship, with X describing them as “illegal actions” against the company.
Image source: ToI
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