The Brazilian Supreme Court, in a decisive move on Wednesday, directed Elon Musk to appoint a legal representative for his messaging platform, X (formerly Twitter), in Brazil within 24 hours. The order, issued by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, carries the threat of suspending the platform’s operations in the country if Musk fails to comply.
Background: Conflict Over “Censorship Orders”
The court’s directive comes shortly after X announced earlier this month that it would shut down its operations in Brazil and dismiss its staff. The decision was attributed to what X described as “censorship orders” issued by Justice Moraes. Despite the closure, the company stated that its services would remain accessible to Brazilian users.
The ongoing tension between X and Brazilian authorities escalated further when the Supreme Court shared a screenshot of Wednesday’s court decision on its own X account, tagging both Elon Musk’s and X’s Global Government Affairs accounts.
Potential Legal Repercussions for Non-Compliance
In his ruling, Justice Moraes emphasized the legal consequences under Brazil’s internet regulations. According to these laws, companies that fail to adhere to local legislation or violate the confidentiality of private information may face temporary suspension of their operations.
The decision underscores the Brazilian judiciary’s stance on enforcing local regulations and ensuring that international tech companies operating in the country comply with its laws.
X Remains Silent Amidst Controversy
X has not yet responded to a request for comment regarding the Supreme Court’s decision. The query was sent outside regular business hours, leaving the company’s stance on the matter unclear as of now.
