Brazil’s Supreme Court has upheld a ban on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in a unanimous vote by the judges. This means the ban will remain in effect. X has been suspended in Brazil since early Saturday after failing to appoint a new legal representative in the country before a court-imposed deadline.
The suspension is the latest development in a feud between Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and X’s owner, Elon Musk, which began in April when the judge ordered the suspension of dozens of accounts for allegedly spreading disinformation. Justice Moraes called for a five-member panel to rule on the suspension, which has caused division in Brazil. Justice Flávio Dino argued that “freedom of expression is closely linked to a duty of responsibility” and that “the first can’t exist without the second, and vice-versa.”
In response to the decision, Mr.
Musk said, “Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes.”
Justice Moraes’ ruling gave companies, including Apple and Google, a five-day deadline to remove X from their app stores and block its use on iOS and Android devices. He added that individuals or businesses found to still be accessing X using VPNs could face fines of R$50,000 ($8,910; £6,780).
Brazil’s ban on X upheld
X closed its office in Brazil last month, stating that its representative had been threatened with arrest if she did not comply with orders it described as “censorship,” which it said was illegal under Brazilian law. Justice Moraes had ordered that X accounts accused of spreading disinformation—many of which belonged to supporters of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro—must be blocked while under investigation. Brazil is considered one of the largest markets for Mr.
Musk’s social media network. With access to X blocked, many Brazilians have turned to the microblogging platform Bluesky as an alternative. Bluesky announced on Saturday that it had registered half a million new users in Brazil over the previous two days alone.
Among those directing followers to his Bluesky account was Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Lula’s Bluesky profile topped a list that also included links to his Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads, TikTok, and Facebook accounts. Bluesky CEO Jay Graber expressed her delight at the influx of new users, posting in Portuguese and English: “Good job Brazil, you made the right choice.”
Rashan is a seasoned technology journalist and visionary leader serving as the Editor-in-Chief of DevX.com, a leading online publication focused on software development, programming languages, and emerging technologies. With his deep expertise in the tech industry and her passion for empowering developers, Rashan has transformed DevX.com into a vibrant hub of knowledge and innovation. Reach out to Rashan at [email protected]
