Brazil’s Telecommunications Regulator Suspends Access to Elon Musk’s X Social Network
In a dramatic move, Brazil’s telecommunications regulator has suspended access to Elon Musk’s X social network in the country, following a court order from a judge who has been locked in a months-long feud with the billionaire investor. The popular social media platform missed a court-imposed deadline to name a legal representative in Brazil, triggering the suspension.
Musk has argued that Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes is trying to enforce unjustified censorship, while the judge insists that social media needs hate speech regulations. The dispute has its roots in an earlier order from Moraes that required X to block accounts implicated in probes of alleged spreading of distorted news and hate.
The judge’s ruling could cause X to lose one of its largest and most coveted markets, at a time when Musk has struggled with advertising revenue for the platform. X remained accessible in Brazil late on Friday, although some Brazilians reported that their access to the platform was already being blocked. Three of the country’s top telecommunications carriers said they would begin blocking access from midnight on Saturday.
Moraes ordered that X be suspended in Brazil until it complied with all related court orders, including the payment of over $3 million in fines and the designation of a local representative. The judge also ordered telecommunications regulator Anatel to implement the suspension order.
The feud has led to the freezing of satellite internet provider Starlink’s bank accounts in Brazil, a unit of Musk-led rocket company SpaceX. Starlink asked the Supreme Court to suspend its decision to freeze its local bank accounts, arguing it has complied with all judicial orders. The request was dismissed on Friday evening.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva insisted that all businesses operating in the country must comply with their legal obligations. Musk, in a post on X, called the president Moraes’ "lapdog" and accused the judge of being a "dictator."
The dispute has sparked controversy, with some Brazilians expressing concern over the suspension of X, while others have called for stricter regulations on social media to combat hate speech and misinformation.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether X will be able to overcome the suspension and continue operating in Brazil, or if the dispute will lead to a wider crackdown on social media platforms in the country.