Brazil Blocks Access to Musk’s X Over Disinformation Dispute

Brazil has enacted measures to block access to Musk’s X, citing a conflict over spreading disinformation. Discover the implications and reactions surrounding this significant decision.

Following a Supreme Court directive, Brazilian telecommunications authorities have taken steps to prohibit X’s accessibility within the nation as it has been unable to assign a legal representative before their designated timeframe.

On Friday, Justice Alexandre de Moraes from the Supreme Court directed that X cease all operations in the country immediately and entirely. The ruling states that until all court orders are fulfilled, fines paid correctly, and a new legal representative appointed for the company, this suspension will remain in place.

As per a report from the local news outlet UOL, three leading telecommunications companies of the country have announced that they will start preventing access starting at midnight (03:00 GMT on Saturday).

For months, the judge and billionaire investor Elon Musk have been engaged in a dispute regarding disinformation and freedom of speech. The disagreement has yet to be resolved.

De Moraes asserts that the crux of the disagreement lies in Musk’s refusal earlier this year to restrict accounts promoting false information, discriminatory language and disregard for legal guidelines.

Musk condemned the order as an act of censorship and reacted by shuttering his company’s offices in Brazil, but made certain that the platform remained accessible within the nation.

On Friday, the judge labeled Musk as an “outlaw” with plans to promote widespread dissemination of misinformation, hateful rhetoric and disregard for democratic principles. The ruling accuses Musk of impeding voters’ ability to make informed decisions by preventing access to factual data.

Approximately 40 million Brazilian users of the aforementioned platform will be deprived of their access and may face significant penalties, amounting to as much as 50,000 reais ($9,000) for each day they are caught employing encryption.

On Friday, Musk fiercely rebutted the court’s directive by branding de Moraes an “evil dictator” for closing down Brazil’s “most credible information outlet.”

At a time when Musk already grapples with advertising revenue for the platform, the judge’s ruling could lead to X losing its biggest and highly sought-after markets.

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President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has left-leaning political views and was re-elected in 2022, supported the court’s decision to halt X.

In a radio interview on Friday, Lula emphasized that having ample financial resources does not justify breaking Brazilian laws.

“He added that Elon Musk, being an American citizen and not a global one, should refrain from offending presidents, congressmen, the Senate or the Supreme Court. He questioned who he thinks he is.”

Conservative supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro have praised Musk for speaking out against the oppressive tactics used by Lula’s government to suppress their voices.

READ ALSO: Brazil Suspends Starlink Accounts Amid Standoff with Elon Musk

Lula emerged victorious in the 2022 presidential election over Bolsonaro who made baseless allegations about Brazil’s electronic voting machines being susceptible to fraudulent activities.

According to media specialists, Musk has become a controversial figure by frequently aligning himself with conservative regimes.

He concurred with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directive to remove accounts and posts associated with a farmers’ demonstration in February that proliferated across the country, requesting assured pricing for their agriculture goods as well as debt amnesty.

“Judge Alexandre de Moraes will be criticized and Musk, the hero of free speech, praised by those who lean towards conservatives and the far-right,” stated David Nemer, an associate professor at Virginia University’s media studies department in his conversation with Al Jazeera.

The bank accounts of Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet company, were frozen by Brazil’s Supreme Court due to unpaid fines associated with an ongoing dispute.

Starlink requested the court on Friday to halt its decision of freezing its local bank accounts, citing that it has followed all legal directives. However, this plea was rejected.

Heidi Zhou-Castro of Al Jazeera reported that the duration of X’s suspension in Brazil remains uncertain, yet certain specialists anticipate Musk will ultimately submit to governmental restrictions “while painting himself as the one who has been wronged.”