Brazil’s telecommunications regulator has announced the suspension of access to Elon Musk’s social network, X, across the country. This decision follows a court order issued by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has been in a months-long conflict with Musk over the platform’s operations in Brazil.
The dispute centers on X’s failure to meet a court-imposed deadline to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, which was due on Thursday evening. As a result, the court ordered the suspension of the platform in Brazil, leading to the potential loss of one of X’s largest markets.
Musk, who owns X and also leads other companies like SpaceX and Tesla, has accused Justice Moraes of enforcing unjust censorship. He took to X to express his frustration, claiming that the platform was being unfairly targeted and calling it “the #1 source of truth in Brazil.” However, Moraes has defended his actions, arguing that there is a need for regulation on social media to prevent the spread of hate speech.
Despite the suspension order, X was still accessible in Brazil late on Friday. However, several telecommunications companies stated that they would begin blocking access starting from midnight on Saturday. The move would involve cutting off the network’s traffic and preventing users from bypassing the ban through virtual private networks (VPNs). Users who attempt to access X via VPNs could face fines of up to 50,000 reais (about $9,000) per day.
The conflict has also affected Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink, which had its bank accounts in Brazil frozen earlier this week. Starlink had requested the Supreme Court to unfreeze its accounts, arguing compliance with judicial orders, but the request was denied.
Justice Moraes has received support from a majority of the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice Roberto Barroso. Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva emphasized that all businesses in Brazil, regardless of their financial power, must respect the law. Musk, however, criticized the president, calling him Moraes’ “lapdog” and referring to Moraes as a “dictator.”
As of now, the suspension of X remains in place, with Brazil’s telecommunications regulator working to enforce the court’s decision. The situation continues to develop, with potential implications for both Musk’s ventures and the broader issue of social media regulation in Brazil.
