X Shuttered in Brazil: Musk's Platform Faces Legal Showdown Over Disinformation

X, formerly known as Twitter, has been banned in Brazil after failing to comply with a Supreme Court judge's order to appoint a new legal representative in the country. The ban, ordered by Judge Alexandre de Moraes, mandates the "immediate and complete suspension" of the social media platform until it adheres to all court directives and pays existing fines.

The dispute began in April when Judge de Moraes ordered the suspension of dozens of X accounts accused of disseminating disinformation. Elon Musk, the owner of X, responded to the decision by stating, "Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes."

By Saturday morning, some users reported that access to the platform was no longer possible. X had previously closed its office in Brazil, citing threats of arrest against its representative if the company did not comply with orders it deemed as "censorship" and illegal under Brazilian law.

Justice Moraes had ordered the blocking of X accounts accused of spreading disinformation, many of which were supporters of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, while they were under investigation. He held the company's legal representatives liable if any accounts were reactivated. X has been threatened with fines for non-compliance, with both the company and Musk accusing the judge of being left-wing.

This is the latest in a series of controversies involving the tech billionaire, who has clashed with the EU over the regulation of X and recently engaged in a public spat with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

The head of Brazil's telecommunications agency, tasked with suspending the platform, confirmed that they are "proceeding with the compliance" to do so, according to Reuters news agency. Justice Moraes has given companies such as Apple and Google a five-day deadline to remove X from their application stores and block its use on iOS and Android systems. He added that individuals or businesses using VPNs (virtual private networks) to access the platform could face fines of R$50,000 (£6,700).

According to the judge's order, the ban will remain in effect until X appoints a new legal representative in the country and pays fines for violating Brazilian law. In a previous post from one of its official accounts, X stated it would not comply with the demands, asserting that Judge de Moraes was demanding actions that would violate Brazil's own laws.

Meanwhile, the bank accounts of Musk's satellite internet firm Starlink have been frozen in Brazil following an earlier order by the country's Supreme Court. Starlink responded with a post on X, stating that the "order is based on an unfounded determination that Starlink should be responsible for the fines levied - unconstitutionally - against X."

Justice Moraes has gained prominence for his decisions to restrict social media platforms in Brazil. He is also investigating former president Bolsonaro and his supporters for their roles in an alleged attempted coup on January 8, 2023.

X is not the first social media company to face pressure from Brazilian authorities. Last year, Telegram was temporarily banned for failing to cooperate with requests to block certain profiles. Meta's messaging service WhatsApp also faced temporary bans in 2015 and 2016 for refusing to comply with police requests for user data.

The ban on X highlights the ongoing tensions between tech companies and governments over the regulation of online content and the balance between free speech and the prevention of disinformation.