X, formerly known as Twitter, has been suspended in Brazil after the platform failed to meet a deadline set by a Supreme Court judge to appoint a new legal representative within the country. The suspension was ordered by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who demanded the “immediate and complete suspension” of the platform until it complies with court orders and pays the fines already imposed.
This dispute began in April when Justice de Moraes ordered the suspension of multiple X accounts for allegedly disseminating disinformation. Elon Musk, the owner of X, reacted strongly to the ruling, stating, “Free speech is the bedrock of democracy, and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes.”
X is widely used in Brazil, with the platform reportedly accessed by at least 10% of the nation’s 200 million residents. By Saturday morning, users began reporting that access to the platform was no longer possible. Earlier in the month, X had closed its office in Brazil, claiming that its legal representative was threatened with arrest if she did not comply with what the company described as “censorship” and illegal orders under Brazilian law.
Justice de Moraes ordered that X accounts under investigation for spreading disinformation—many of which are linked to supporters of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro—must remain blocked. He also warned that the company’s legal representatives would be held accountable if any of these accounts were reactivated. The company, along with Musk, has criticized the judge, accusing him of having a left-wing bias.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of confrontations involving Musk, who has previously clashed with the European Union over regulations pertaining to X and recently engaged in a public dispute with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Brazil’s telecommunications agency, responsible for enforcing the suspension, has stated it is proceeding with the necessary steps to ensure compliance. Justice de Moraes also issued an ultimatum to companies like Apple and Google, giving them five days to remove X from their application stores and to block its use on iOS and Android devices. The judge further warned that individuals or businesses using VPNs (virtual private networks) to access X could face fines of R$50,000 (£6,700).
According to the judge’s orders, the suspension will remain in place until X appoints a new legal representative in Brazil and pays the fines for violating Brazilian law. Previously, X had stated through one of its official accounts that it would not comply with the court’s demands. “Soon, we expect Judge Alexandre de Moraes will order X to be shut down in Brazil – simply because we would not comply with his illegal orders to censor his political opponents,” the post read. “The fundamental issue at stake here is that Judge de Moraes demands we break Brazil’s own laws. We simply won’t do that.”
In a related development, the bank accounts of Musk’s satellite internet company, Starlink, were frozen in Brazil following a previous Supreme Court order. Starlink responded by stating on X that the “order is based on an unfounded determination that Starlink should be responsible for the fines levied—unconstitutionally—against X.”
Justice de Moraes has become a prominent figure in Brazil due to his decisions to limit the operation of social media platforms in the country. He is currently investigating former president Bolsonaro and his supporters for their alleged involvement in an attempted coup on January 8 of the previous year.
X is not the first social media platform to face scrutiny from Brazilian authorities. Last year, the messaging app Telegram was temporarily banned for failing to cooperate with requests to block certain profiles. Similarly, Meta’s messaging service WhatsApp faced temporary bans in 2015 and 2016 for refusing to comply with police requests for user data.
Ongoing Tensions Between X and Brazilian Authorities
The suspension of X in Brazil is a significant development in the ongoing tensions between the platform’s owner, Elon Musk, and Brazilian authorities. The dispute highlights broader concerns about the regulation of social media and the role of judicial authority in enforcing national laws on global platforms. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how X will respond to the court’s demands and what implications this may have for other tech companies operating in Brazil.
