Brazil's telecommunications regulator announced on Friday that it is suspending access to Elon Musk's social network X in the country, following a judge's order amidst a prolonged dispute between the judge and the billionaire investor. The social media platform failed to meet a court-imposed deadline on Thursday to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, leading to the suspension.
Musk has claimed that Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes is attempting to impose unwarranted censorship, while the judge maintains that social media platforms require regulations against hate speech. "They're shutting down the #1 source of truth in Brazil," Musk posted on X on Friday. The judge's decision could result in X losing one of its biggest and most desired markets, especially as Musk faces challenges with advertising revenue for the platform.
Despite the announcement, X was still accessible in Brazil late Friday, though some users reported being blocked from accessing the platform. According to local news outlet UOL, three major telecommunications carriers in Brazil stated they would start blocking access at midnight. The ongoing dispute has also led to the freezing of satellite internet provider Starlink's bank accounts in Brazil this week; Starlink is a subsidiary of Musk's rocket company SpaceX.
In his ruling, Moraes ordered the suspension of X in Brazil until it complies with all court orders, including paying over $3 million in fines and designating a local representative as mandated by Brazilian law. The telecommunications regulator, Anatel, confirmed to Reuters that it is carrying out the order but did not provide a specific timeline. To fully shut down X in Brazil, telecom companies would need to cease carrying the network's traffic and prevent users from bypassing restrictions using VPNs, for which Moraes ordered fines of up to 50,000 reais ($9,000) per day.
Initially, tech giants Apple and Alphabet's Google were instructed to remove X from their app stores and implement measures against VPN use, but Moraes later reversed this part of his order, stating it was unnecessary. Brazil's Supreme Court judges have extensive powers to make unilateral decisions, and in this case, Moraes has received support from a majority of the court, including Chief Justice Roberto Barroso.
The conflict over X stems from an earlier order by Moraes this year requiring the platform to block accounts involved in spreading distorted news and hate speech. Musk criticized this as censorship, closed the company's offices in Brazil but ensured the platform remained accessible. He has also stated that Starlink will continue to provide free service to Brazilians, including the military, until the issue is resolved.
On Friday, Starlink requested the Supreme Court to suspend the decision to freeze its local bank accounts, arguing it had complied with all judicial orders, but this request was dismissed. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva emphasized that all businesses in the country must adhere to their legal obligations, stating, "Just because a guy has a lot of money doesn't mean he can disrespect" the law. Musk referred to the president as Moraes' "lapdog" and called the judge a "dictator" in a post. At an event on Friday, Moraes showed no signs of retreat, stating that those who undermine democracy and human rights, whether personally or through social media, must be held accountable.
