A panel of Brazil's Supreme Court justices has unanimously upheld a ruling to suspend operations of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, within the country.
A panel of Brazil's Supreme Court justices has unanimously upheld a ruling to suspend operations of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, within the country. The decision, finalized on September 2, supports an earlier ruling by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who ordered the suspension on August 30.
Justice Moraes' ruling came in response to Elon Musk’s refusal to designate a legal representative for X's operations in Brazil, a requirement under Brazilian law. Musk, who acquired the platform in October 2022, had previously criticized Moraes on X, labeling him as "evil" and a "dictator" for what Musk described as "illegal political censorship" of the social media platform. Despite these criticisms, the panel of five justices unanimously agreed with Moraes' decision, making it clear that the suspension will remain in effect until further notice.
The backdrop of this legal battle includes ongoing investigations by Moraes into X’s alleged role in spreading misinformation related to former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. The investigation has intensified since Musk took over the platform, with concerns about the spread of harmful content, including reports of pro-Nazi material appearing alongside advertisements. This content has led to many companies pulling their ads from the platform, further complicating Musk's stewardship of X.
According to the court's ruling, X will remain suspended in Brazil until the company settles outstanding fines, which amounted to more than $3 million as of August 30. The court's decision also extends to Brazilian users who attempt to bypass the suspension by using virtual private networks (VPNs). Individuals and companies found accessing X via VPNs could face additional fines of up to 50,000 reais, or approximately $8,900.
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