Brazil’s top court ordered a nationwide suspension of Elon Musk’s social network X on Friday, following the company’s defiance of earlier directives regarding content moderation and the appointment of a legal representative. Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes mandated fines for individuals or businesses using virtual private networks (VPNs) or other methods to access X while it remains banned, according to G1 Globo.
In an official statement, the court announced the “immediate and complete suspension of X” across Brazil until compliance with its decisions and payment of fines. The suspension will persist until X designates a country representative.
Musk and X were given 24 hours to appoint a legal representative or face suspension, a deadline that passed Thursday evening. X’s global government affairs division anticipated the suspension, stating it would not comply with the orders. Brazil, a significant U.S. ally, is gearing up for October municipal elections, requiring social media firms to manage government takedown notices related to political misinformation and violence incitement. X, lacking a representative, declared it would withdraw its employees rather than risk arrest for non-compliance.
The suspension poses business challenges for X, given Brazil’s 171 million active social media users. Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in 2022 led to major advertisers leaving after he reinstated banned accounts. Recently, the World Bank halted its ad campaigns on X due to its ads appearing under racist content.
Musk criticized de Moraes after the court froze Starlink’s finances in Brazil. He urged Brazilians to use Starlink to access X and likened de Moraes to the villain Voldemort, condemning his actions as “tyranny.” Musk accused Brazil’s government of censoring truth and attempting to bankrupt dissenters. The court’s orders were sent to the national telecom agency, Anatel, which instructed providers, including Starlink, to block access to X.
Representatives for X and the U.S. embassy in Brazil have yet to comment.
Original Story https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/30/brazil-orders-suspension-of-elon-musks-x.html
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