Brazil is poised to suspend the services of the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, following the company’s failure to appoint a legal representative in the country by the deadline set by the Brazilian Supreme Court. This deadline was 8:07 p.m. local time (2307 GMT) on Thursday.
Under Brazilian law, all internet companies must have a legal representative within the country. This ensures that legal decisions can be communicated and necessary actions can be taken. However, X recently removed its legal representative in Brazil after facing threats of arrest from Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes.
The court had given X until Thursday evening to name a new representative or face a suspension of its services. X did not comply with this order, leading to the imminent shutdown of its operations in Brazil.
The conflict between Brazil and X intensified after Elon Musk, the platform’s billionaire owner, publicly criticized Justice de Moraes. Musk labeled the judge as a “tyrant” and a “dictator” in his posts on X, and accused him of being a “criminal masquerading as a judge.”
The core issue is whether de Moraes can compel X to block certain accounts accused of spreading misinformation—a request Musk denounces as censorship. Many of the accounts in question are linked to supporters of far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro, some of whom dispute his 2022 election loss.
Musk challenged the court’s order and announced plans to reactivate blocked accounts, which led de Moraes to initiate an investigation into Musk for spreading fake news and alleged obstruction.
In addition to the troubles with X, Musk’s satellite internet company, Starlink, is also facing challenges in Brazil. The company reported that Justice de Moraes had ordered a freeze on its finances and barred it from conducting financial transactions in the country. Starlink claims this order is unjustified and is preparing to address the issue through legal channels.
Following the missed deadline, X issued a statement indicating its expectation of a service shutdown in Brazil. The company emphasized its commitment to protecting free speech, stating, “Unlike other social media and technology platforms, we will not comply in secret with illegal orders.”
X is a popular platform in Brazil, serving as a significant communication tool, particularly for politicians. The suspension of its services will likely have a considerable impact on its Brazilian user base.
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