X, formerly known as Twitter, has been banned in Brazil after missing a deadline set by a Supreme Court judge to appoint a new legal representative in the country.
According to the BBC, Judge Alexandre de Moraes ordered the immediate suspension of the social media platform until it follows court orders and pays existing fines.
The conflict began in April when the judge demanded that X suspend dozens of accounts accused of spreading false information.
Elon Musk, the owner of X, criticized the decision, stating that “free speech is the foundation of democracy” and accused the judge of trying to suppress it for political reasons.
This is just the latest controversy involving Musk, who has also faced clashes with the European Union over regulating X and had a recent dispute with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, as reported by the BBC.
Brazil’s telecommunications agency has been tasked with enforcing the ban, which is expected to take effect within 24 hours. According to the BBC, the judge also instructed companies like Apple and Google to remove X from their app stores within five days. People using VPNs to access the platform could face fines.
The ban will remain until X appoints a new legal representative and pays the fines, notes the BBC. Previously, X had refused to comply with the court’s demands, arguing that the judge’s orders were illegal and violated Brazil’s own laws.
Judge Moraes had ordered X to block accounts of those spreading false information, especially supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is under investigation for an alleged coup attempt last year.
The BBC also reports that, in a related move, the bank accounts of Musk’s satellite internet company, Starlink, were frozen in Brazil due to an earlier court order.
Starlink, which provides internet to remote areas, responded that the decision was unfair and that it should not be held responsible for fines against X, stressing that the two companies are separate.
This situation reflects ongoing tension in Brazil, where other social media platforms, such as Telegram and WhatsApp, have also faced government pressure, according to the BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y3rnl5qv3o