Brazil Blocks Musk’s X-Braces as Deadline Expires
There is a growing standoff as Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes freezes Starlink assets, and X misses the 24-hour deadline to appoint a legal representative.
The social media platform X has stated that it anticipates being blocked in Brazil after failing to meet a deadline from a Supreme Court judge to name a new legal representative for the company.
X’s owner had closed operations in Brazil earlier this month, citing threats from Brazilian authorities to the company’s legal representative for not complying with what X called “censorship orders.”
Despite the shutdown, the platform remained accessible to Brazilian users.
On the evening of Aug. 28, Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued a court order against X, giving Musk just 24 hours to appoint a new legal representative for X Brasil in response to a petition filed against the company. Failure to comply would lead to the platform’s suspension.
Not Demanding US-Style Free Speech Laws
Authorities in the county have previously ordered telecommunications providers to block access to certain websites or face daily fines.
“When we attempted to defend ourselves in court, Judge de Moraes threatened our Brazilian legal representative with imprisonment. Even after she resigned, he froze all of her bank accounts. Our challenges against his manifestly illegal actions were either dismissed or ignored. Judge de Moraes’ colleagues on the Supreme Court are either unwilling or unable to stand up to him,” claimed X.
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The company has clarified that it does not demand other countries to adopt the same free speech laws as the United States.
“The fundamental issue at stake here is that Judge de Moraes demands we break Brazil’s own laws. We simply won’t do that,” the company added.
X has stated that it will “publish all of Judge de Moraes’ illegal demands and all related court filings in the interest of transparency.”
Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes is pictured at the Supreme Court in Brasilia, Brazil, on April 4, 2018. Victoria Silva/AFP via Getty Images
While Musk accuses Brazil of censorship, Brazilian authorities insist that X is violating the country’s internet laws.
Earlier this year, de Moraes had ordered X to block specific accounts as part of the investigation into digital militias accused of spreading fake news and hate messages during Jair Bolsonaro’s government.
The order restricts Starlink, with over a quarter million customers in Brazil, from conducting financial transactions in the country.
X is not the only social media company facing pressure from Brazilian authorities. In the past, Brazil has blocked social media platforms following judicial orders.
At that time, the court ordered fines of $15,300 per day for providers that failed to block access to WhatsApp until compliance.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
