Social media platform X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, announced on Saturday that it would immediately cease operations in Brazil. The decision comes in response to what the company describes as “censorship orders” issued by Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes. The platform’s closure in Brazil was prompted by escalating tensions over content moderation and legal compliance.
Earlier this year, Judge Moraes ordered X to block certain accounts as part of an investigation into so-called “digital militias” accused of spreading fake news and hate speech during the administration of former President Jair Bolsonaro. The social media giant claims that Moraes secretly threatened one of its legal representatives, Rachel Nova Conceicao, with arrest if the platform did not comply with these orders. The company also shared a document allegedly signed by Moraes, which included a daily fine of 20,000 reais ($3,653) and an arrest order as potential penalties for non-compliance.
Musk’s Response to Legal Challenges
Elon Musk has been vocal about his opposition to the legal demands imposed by Judge Moraes. He has described the judge’s orders as “unconstitutional” and has criticized the legal pressures placed on his company. Musk, in a series of posts on X, called Moraes an “utter disgrace to justice” and accused him of making “secret censorship and private information handover demands” that the company could not abide by.
Despite these tensions, X initially appeared to resist complying with Moraes’ rulings, only to later assure Brazil’s Supreme Court that it would follow the legal directives. Lawyers representing X in Brazil acknowledged in April that “operational faults” had allowed certain users, who were ordered to be blocked, to remain active on the platform. This compliance issue further strained relations between the social media platform and the Brazilian judiciary.
Impact of the Closure on Brazilian Users
While X has decided to close its operations in Brazil, the platform remains accessible to Brazilian users. The company emphasized that its decision was driven by concerns for the safety of its staff, following the alleged threats from Judge Moraes. However, the future of X’s presence in Brazil remains uncertain as legal battles continue.
Brazil’s Supreme Court has refrained from commenting on the matter, neither confirming nor denying the authenticity of the document shared by X. The court’s silence leaves room for further speculation regarding the nature of the legal pressures faced by the social media platform.
