The battle continues between the Brazilian justice system and Elon Musk’s social network X. A judge of the Brazilian Supreme Court, Alexandre de Moraes, ordered on Friday, August 30, the “immediate suspension” of “throughout the Brazilian territory.”
The magistrate requested the National Telecommunications Agency“take all necessary measures” for this decision to come into effect within twenty-four hours. It also demanded that the technology giants Google and Apple, as well as Internet service providers,“introduce technological obstacles capable of preventing the use of application X” and access to the website.
De Moraes had given the platform to the American billionaire Elon Musk for twenty-four hours on Wednesday afternoon to appoint a legal representative in the country, under penalty of suspension from the network. When the deadline expired, X indicated that he would not comply with the court order. “Alexandre de Moraes is an evil dictator who pretends to be a judge”, had criticized Elon Musk on Thursday.
Blocking ultraconservative accounts
The suspension will remain in effect until the social network complies with Brazilian court decisions, pays fines imposed on it and appoints a legal representative, according to the ruling issued on Friday.
This ruling comes after Elon Musk announced on August 17 the closure of the social network’s offices in Brazil, leaving the service unavailable. Musk then accused Judge Moraes of having threatened to arrest his legal representative in Brazil, which the social network considers a form of “censorship” intended to block certain content.
Musk also wanted to oppose Moraes’ decisions regarding X. In the name of the fight against disinformation, the magistrate has in recent years ordered the blocking of the accounts of influential figures of Brazilian ultraconservative movements. And this, in particular since the attempts by supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, an admirer of Elon Musk, to discredit the electronic voting system during the presidential elections won by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in October 2022.
“Shame on justice”
In April, de Moraes ordered an investigation into the social network’s chief, accusing him of reactivating banned accounts. The social network admitted that users of several blocked accounts had managed to circumvent the restrictions. The accounts in question belong to conservative figures, such as Senator Marcos do Val, a former ally of Bolsonaro, according to federal police.
Musk then harshly attacked the Brazilian judge, calling him“shame on justice” and inviting him to ” leave “. “His actions are incompatible with a democratic regime. The Brazilian people must choose: democracy or Alexandre de Moraes”He had also criticized the social network, which was bought by Elon Musk in October 2022.
