Elon Musk’s X Faces Ban in Brazil Following Supreme Court Ruling

Brazil’s Supreme Court has unanimously voted to uphold a ban on Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, according to a report by Al Jazeera. The ban, which took effect on Saturday, was originally imposed by Justice Alexandre de Moraes after Musk’s company failed to meet a court-mandated deadline to appoint a legal representative in Brazil.

On Monday, five justices were asked to review the decision to ban X from the country. “It is not possible for a company to operate within a nation’s territory while attempting to impose its own rules,” said Justice Flavio Dino, who, along with Justice Cristiano Zanin, supported Moraes’ decision. Dino added, “A party that intentionally fails to comply with court orders seems to consider itself above the rule of law, risking becoming an outlaw.”

Justices Carmen Lucia and Luiz Fux also sided with Moraes, making the decision unanimous, as reported by Al Jazeera. However, some justices indicated that the suspension could be lifted if X complies with previous court rulings.

Justice Moraes’ initial order, released on Friday, labeled Musk an “outlaw” who seeks to “facilitate the massive spread of disinformation, hate speech, and attacks on the democratic rule of law, thereby undermining the free choice of the electorate by preventing access to real and accurate information.”

The Supreme Court has ordered all telecom providers in Brazil to shut down X. The ban will remain in place until X complies with Moraes’ orders and pays outstanding fines, which total more than USD 3 million as of last week. Musk, who purchased X (formerly known as Twitter) in 2022, condemned the move as censorship. On Friday, he described X as the top “source of truth” in Brazil and called Moraes a “dictator.”

Since acquiring X, Elon Musk has implemented significant changes to the platform, including reducing its content moderation teams. He has increasingly promoted far-right content and unsubstantiated claims on his personal feed, recently clashing with the United Kingdom’s government over anti-migrant and anti-Muslim riots. Musk has also endorsed Donald Trump for U.S. President and conducted a deferential interview with Trump in August, as the former President campaigns for the November election.

Brazil is taking a firm stance against X in its current form. The ban threatens one of the company’s largest markets and comes at a time when Musk has struggled to generate advertising revenue. Brazil, with a population of approximately 215 million, has an estimated 40 million X users. Companies and individuals caught using the platform through encrypted connections may face fines of up to 50,000 reais (USD 9,000) per day.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed his approval of the Supreme Court’s decision on Monday, telling CNN Brasil that he was “satisfied” with the ruling and believes it sends a clear message.

With inputs from ANI