Brazil’s telecommunications regulator has suspended access to Elon Musk’s X social network in compliance with a court order issued by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. This suspension was triggered after X missed a deadline to name a legal representative in Brazil. Musk has accused Justice Moraes of unjustified censorship, while the judge claims that hate speech regulations are necessary for social media platforms.
The suspension of X in Brazil could result in the loss of one of its largest and most important markets. This comes at a time when Musk has been facing challenges with advertising revenue for the platform. Despite the suspension order, X remained accessible in Brazil until some users reported being blocked from the platform. Top telecommunication carriers in the country have announced plans to block access to X from midnight.
Justice Moraes’ ruling requires X to comply with all court orders, including the payment of over $3 million in fines and the appointment of a local representative as mandated by Brazilian law. The telecommunications regulator Anatel has been tasked with implementing the suspension order, although a specific timeline for this action has not been provided.
In order to effectively shut down X in Brazil, telecommunication companies will need to prevent the network’s traffic and stop users from accessing the platform through VPNs. Justice Moraes issued fines of up to 50,000 reais per day for individuals who continued to access X via VPNs. Initially, Apple and Google were instructed to remove X from their app stores and implement anti-VPN obstacles, but this part of the order was later reversed.
Elon Musk denounced Justice Moraes’ earlier order that required X to block accounts linked to spreading distorted news and hate as censorship. In response, Musk closed X’s offices in Brazil but ensured the platform remained available. He has vowed to continue serving Brazilians, including the military, with Starlink for free until the matter is resolved. Musk has referred to President Lula da Silva as Moraes’ “lapdog” and the judge as a “dictator”.
Brazil’s President Lula da Silva has emphasized the importance of all businesses operating in the country adhering to legal obligations, regardless of their financial status. Musk’s criticism of the president as a “lapdog” and the judge as a “dictator” has not deterred Justice Moraes, who maintains that those who violate democracy and human rights must be held accountable, whether in person or through social media.
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