Tech
Brazil Blocks Access to X Following Elon Musk’s Refusal to Comply with Court Orders
Brazil has blocked access to X after Elon Musk’s noncompliance with court orders. This decision raises questions about social media governance and accountability, highlighting the ongoing tensions between tech companies and regulatory bodies.
Brazil Takes Action Against X Amid Controversy
Brazil has taken a bold step by blocking access to the social network X on Friday, following the refusal of its owner, Elon Musk, to adhere to a Brazilian judge’s directives aimed at suspending specific accounts. This incident marks a significant test of Musk’s ambition to transform X into a digital public square characterized by minimal restrictions on speech.
Alexandre de Moraes, a justice of the Brazilian Supreme Court, issued an order for internet service providers in the country—home to 200 million people—to restrict access to X. The decision stemmed from X’s lack of a legally designated representative in Brazil, prompting concerns over compliance with local laws.
Compounding the situation, Musk recently shuttered X’s office in Brazil after Justice Moraes threatened to initiate arrests if his orders to eliminate certain accounts, which he deemed violative of Brazilian law, were ignored. In a statement released on Thursday, X asserted its position, describing Justice Moraes’ orders as illegal, and announced its intention to publicly disclose these directives, stating, “Unlike other social media and technology platforms, we will not comply in secret with illegal orders.”
In an unprecedented move, Justice Moraes also imposed a freeze on the financial operations of another one of Musk’s ventures in Brazil, the SpaceX-owned Starlink satellite internet service. This action is intended to secure payment for fines previously levied against X. Starlink, which has recently gained substantial traction in Brazil, boasting over 250,000 customers, has indicated its intention to contest this ruling, suggesting that it might offer its service free of charge in Brazil if necessary.
The ongoing clash between Musk and Justice Moraes has escalated over recent months. Musk has accused Moraes of engaging in unlawful censorship targeting conservative voices, while Moraes contends that Musk is unlawfully hindering efforts to eliminate hate speech and protect democratic integrity on the Brazilian internet.