Top Brazil court to vote on ban of Musk’s X

Brazil’s Supreme Court is set to make a critical decision on Monday regarding the future of the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter. The court will determine whether to uphold a recent ruling that resulted in the suspension of X’s operations within the country.

This development follows a decision made by Justice Alexandre Moraes, who ordered the suspension of the platform early Saturday morning. The suspension came after X missed a court-imposed deadline to appoint a new legal representative in Brazil. The clash between Moraes and X’s owner, Elon Musk, dates back to April when Moraes ordered the suspension of several accounts on the platform that were allegedly involved in spreading misinformation.

The Brazilian Supreme Court is composed of 11 justices, organized into two chambers of five members each, excluding the chief justice. These chambers are responsible for reviewing and either upholding or overturning decisions made by individual justices. Justice Moraes is a member of the first chamber, which will now review his decision to ban X.

In response to the ban, Elon Musk criticized the move, stating, “Free speech is the bedrock of democracy, and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes.” His comments highlight the ongoing tension between the social media giant and Brazilian authorities.

As part of the ruling, Justice Moraes instructed major tech companies, including Apple and Google, to remove X from their app stores and block its access on iOS and Android devices within five days. Furthermore, he warned that individuals or businesses continuing to access X through virtual private networks (VPNs) could face fines of R$50,000 (approximately $8,910 or £6,780).

X had previously closed its office in Brazil last month, citing threats of arrest against its representative if she did not adhere to what the company described as “censorship” orders. According to X, these orders violated Brazilian law. The company had been ordered by Moraes to block accounts associated with the dissemination of misinformation, many of which were linked to supporters of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro.

The dispute underscores the significant role Brazil plays as a market for X. With the country being one of the largest user bases for the platform, the outcome of the Supreme Court’s vote could have substantial implications for X’s operations and its relationship with Brazilian users.