MEXICO CITY — A Brazilian Supreme Court justice ordered the suspension of the social media platform X across the country on Friday, following accusations that the platform, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, repeatedly disregarded Brazilian court orders and regulations.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes cited “repeated, conscious, and willful non-compliance with court orders and non-compliance with the daily fines imposed,” adding that X’s actions created an environment of impunity and lawlessness on Brazilian social networks, including during the 2024 municipal elections.
The court emphasized that X has been a conduit for hateful and racist speech and has interfered with the country’s democratic processes. On August 28, Moraes gave Musk 24 hours to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, warning that failure to do so would lead to the platform’s suspension.
Musk has previously faced subpoenas from the Brazilian government for refusing to remove disinformation and hateful content from X. In response to mounting fines and complaints, Musk closed X’s offices in Brazil last week.
The Brazilian government has banned several accounts, including those linked to allies of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is accused of plotting a coup against President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The court found these profiles violated the law by spreading false information and undermining democratic institutions, leading to fines of over $3 million against X.
The Supreme Court has instructed the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) to disconnect the platform within 24 hours, while companies like Apple and Google have five days to remove the X app from their online stores.
Musk, who has referred to Justice Moraes as an “evil dictator cosplaying as a judge,” has not yet issued a formal response to the fines and suspension order. — Agencies