X Prepares For Brazil Ban as Judge’s Deadline Expires
X, previously known as Twitter, has indicated that it expects to be blocked inhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk Brazil after missing a deadline to appoint a new legal representative for the company. This situation has escalated following the closure of its office in the country earlier this month, where the company claimed that its representative faced threats of arrest for not complying with orders it labeled as “censorship.”
The conflict began several months ago when Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes issued an order in April to suspend numerous X accounts for allegedly disseminating disinformation. This ruling has sparked significant controversy and debate over freedom of expression and the regulation of social media platforms.
In response to the ongoing tensions, Elon Musk, the owner of X, has threatened to reactivate the suspended accounts. His remarks have intensified the situation, as he has openly criticized Justice Moraes, labeling him a “tyrant” and a “dictator.”
As the situation unfolds, the implications for X in Brazil remain uncertain. The company’s failure to comply with local regulations may lead to further repercussions, affecting its operations and user access in the region.
Justice Moraes has given X a 24-hour deadline to appoint a new legal representative or face suspension, with the cutoff time set for just after 20:00 local time (23:00 GMT) on Thursday. The ruling stipulates that the ban will remain in place until X designates a legal representative in Brazil and settles fines for alleged breaches of local law.
In a post from one of its official accounts shortly after the deadline expired, X made it clear that it had not complied with the order. The post indicated that Judge Alexandre de Moraes might soon order X to be shut down in Brazil, arguing that this would be a consequence of the platform’s refusal to adhere to what it deemed illegal orders aimed at censoring political opponents.
Read Also: Nvidia Tops the World’s Valuable Companies Due to AI hype.
X emphasized that the core issue is Judge de Moraes’s demand for the company to violate Brazilian laws, stating, “We simply won’t do that.” The platform also asserted that it would not comply secretly with these illegal demands and planned to disclose the judge’s requirements in the coming days to promote transparency.
Additionally, Justice Moraes had mandated the blocking of X accounts accused of disseminating disinformation, particularly those linked to supporters of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, while investigations are ongoing. He noted that the company’s legal representatives would be held accountable if any of these accounts were reactivated.
In a related development, the bank accounts of Mr. Musk’s satellite internet company, Starlink, have been frozen in Brazil due to an order from the country’s Supreme Court. In response, Starlink issued a statement on X, claiming that the “order is based on an unfounded determination that Starlink should be responsible for the fines levied—unconstitutionally—against X.”
Mr. Musk also chimed in on X, clarifying that “SpaceX and X are two completely different companies with different shareholders.” This statement aimed to differentiate his various business ventures amid the ongoing legal challenges.
Starlink, a subsidiary of Musk’s rocket company SpaceX, was granted permission to operate in Brazil by the government of then-President Bolsonaro in 2022. This approval underscored the potential for Starlink’s services in Brazil, particularly in its remote regions, including the Amazon.
As South America’s largest nation, Brazil presents significant opportunities for Starlink, which specializes in providing internet access in underserved areas. The unfolding legal situation raises questions about the future of both X and Starlink in the Brazilian market.
