Brasilia: X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, has been banned in Brazil for not adhering to a deadline set by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
The judge mandated the “immediate and complete suspension” of X until it complies with court mandates and settles any fines due.
The dispute started in April when Justice de Moraes ordered the suspension of various X accounts for spreading disinformation. Elon Musk, the owner of X, condemned the ruling, saying, “Free speech is the foundation of democracy, and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is undermining it for political ends.”
Following the expiration of the deadline to meet the court’s requirements, Brazil’s telecommunications agency is moving forward with the suspension of X, which is anticipated to be inaccessible in Brazil within 24 hours.
Justice de Moraes has directed major corporations such as Apple and Google to eliminate X from their app stores and prevent its operation on iOS and Android devices within five days. Users who try to access the platform via VPNs might incur fines of R$50,000 (around £6,700).
The prohibition will persist until X designates a new legal representative in Brazil and pays penalties for breaching local regulations. X had previously stated its refusal to comply with the judge’s orders, claiming it would not contravene Brazilian law.
The judge’s decision particularly affected accounts associated with supporters of the former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, demanding their suspension amid ongoing probes. He stressed that the legal representatives of the company would be held responsible if any of these accounts were reactivated.
Concurrently, the bank accounts of Musk’s satellite internet firm, Starlink, have been seized in Brazil following another Supreme Court directive. Starlink has contested the order, arguing it was based on an unsubstantiated assertion that it should be responsible for X’s fines.
