Brazil’s Supreme Court has ordered the nationwide suspension of Elon Musk’s social network X after the platform refused to comply with earlier court orders on content moderation and appointing a legal representative in the country. Users found using VPNs to access X while it is banned will face fines. The court ordered the suspension until the company appoints a representative in Brazil. Initially, Apple and Google were given 5 days to stop offering X downloads and VPN apps, but this deadline has been eliminated in a second order.
The court’s actions came after X failed to appoint a legal representative within the given timeframe. X has stated it will not comply with the court orders, risking a suspension of its activities in Brazil. The country requires social media companies to have representatives to handle government takedown notices, including those related to political misinformation and incitements to violence.
Musk, who led the acquisition of Twitter, has faced backlash for making controversial changes and reinstating previously banned accounts on the platform. Brazil has a significant social media user base, and a suspension of X could impact Musk’s business endeavors in the country. The court had previously frozen the finances of Starlink, another of Musk’s ventures, to ensure fines imposed on X are paid.
Critics see the court’s actions as an overreach, as it has a history of suspending social media platforms until they comply with regulations. Musk has denounced the court’s orders as censorship, likening the judge to movie villain Voldemort. Both X and the U.S. embassy in Brazil have not provided immediate comments on the situation.
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