Social media platform X has appointed a legal representative in Brazil, marking an initial step towards potentially resuming its services in the nation. However, this suspension will persist until further requirements are satisfied, as ruled by a judge. In a decision made public on Saturday, Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes noted that X has still “not duly met” all the conditions necessary to lift the ban, giving the company five days to submit additional documentation. The judge has been embroiled in an ongoing conflict with X’s owner, billionaire Elon Musk, as part of his campaign against misinformation in Brazil.
The suspension of X last month followed Musk’s refusal to eliminate several right-wing accounts accused of propagating false information, alongside failing to appoint a new legal representative in Brazil as mandated. The standoff between the Brazilian judiciary and the unconventional billionaire has escalated into a crucial battle, pushing the boundaries of freedom of speech and corporate accountability in the largest country in South America. Prior to the ban, the social media platform boasted over 22 million users in Brazil.
In addition to the suspension, Moraes has ordered X to pay a penalty of no less than five million reals ($913,000) for violating the suspension order last Thursday, when the platform became accessible again through a technical work around that bypassed the government’s blockade. X contended that the unintentional breach of the ban resulted from an “inadvertent and temporary” change in network providers, but it subsequently went offline again. Justice Moraes asserted that X was intentionally engaging in “malicious, illicit and persistent” actions to defy Brazilian judicial orders.
The ongoing feud saw Musk labeling Moraes as an “evil dictator,” while the magistrate has argued that X’s dissemination of disinformation poses a threat to democracy. The suspension drew support from Brazil’s political left, aligned with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, while the right-wing opposition, including former president Jair Bolsonaro, condemned it as unconstitutional censorship. To ensure the payment of fines levied against the social media platform for disregarding court orders, Moraes has also frozen the assets of X, along with those of Musk’s satellite internet provider, Starlink, which has been active in Brazil since 2022, particularly in remote Amazonian communities.
Additionally, Musk has persistently criticized Moraes through social media, branding him an “evil dictator” and likening him to “Voldemort,” the antagonist from the “Harry Potter” series.
