In a dramatic escalation of a protracted battle over disinformation, Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes ordered the suspension of Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, formerly known as Twitter. The judge mandated the “immediate, complete and comprehensive suspension of the operation of” X in Brazil. The national communications agency has been instructed to ensure the order is enforced within 24 hours.
Judge de Moraes also warned of a 50,000 reais ($8,900) fine for anyone attempting to circumvent the ban using technological subterfuges, such as a VPN or a virtual private network.
The Musk-Moraes controversy
The conflict between Elon Musk and Judge Alexandre de Moraes originated from the suspension of multiple accounts on X that belonged to supporters of Brazil’s former president, Jair Bolsonaro. These accounts were accused of spreading misinformation to undermine the 2022 election results, which Bolsonaro lost.
Brazilian authorities are investigating whether Bolsonaro attempted to orchestrate a coup to prevent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from assuming office in January 2023. In April, Moraes ordered an investigation into Musk for allegedly reactivating some of the banned accounts.
X has claimed that Moraes threatened to arrest one of its legal representatives in Brazil if the company did not comply with his orders. In response to these pressures, Musk’s platform shut down all its offices in Brazil, citing “censorship” by the judge, although the service remained accessible to users.
In a speech on Friday, Moraes emphasized, “We have a right to defend fundamental rights. Those who violate democracy, who violate fundamental human rights, whether in person or through social media, must be held accountable.”
Ban and financial penalties
Judge de Moraes stated that the suspension of X would remain in place until the social media network complies with all related court orders, including the payment of fines amounting to 18.5 million reais ($3.28 million) for previously ignoring judicial directives. Additionally, the suspension will continue until a representative of the company is appointed in Brazil.
Moraes has also frozen the financial assets of Musk’s satellite internet network, Starlink, ordering a block on its accounts in Brazil. On Wednesday, he gave Musk a 24-hour ultimatum to appoint a new representative or face suspension. As the deadline passed, X issued a statement criticizing Moraes, saying it expected him to shut down the platform “simply because we would not comply with his illegal orders to censor his political opponents.”
Musk’s Response
Elon Musk, who acquired X in 2022, responded vehemently to the ban, calling Alexandre de Moraes an “evil dictator cosplaying as a judge” and accusing him of “trying to destroy democracy in Brazil.”
“Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes,” Musk wrote on X. He further added, “They’re shutting down the #1 source of truth in Brazil.”
With over 22 million users in Brazil, the ban on X has sparked a significant controversy, raising questions about censorship, free speech, and the role of social media in democratic processes.