Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, is facing a potential ban in Brazil after the company refused to comply with an order from a top Brazilian judge, who ordered the suspension of the platform Friday, according to multiple outlets, potentially setting up X for a country-wide shutdown that could impact tens of millions of users.
X expects its app to be banned in Brazil. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
NurPhoto via Getty Images
Key Facts
Brazilian judge Alexandre de Moraes’ suspension order did not immediately shut down X in Brazil, according to The Washington Post, and comes after Musk has repeatedly attacked the judge in recent weeks over multiple legal disputes.
X’s global government affairs page said Thursday it expected Moraes to order the ban, citing its non-compliance with a legal order it claimed would censor the judge’s political opponents.
The page added it would “not comply in secret with illegal orders,” noting it would publish Moraes’ demands and related court documents for transparency—an action it took earlier this month when it criticized an order from Moraes asking the platform to block particular accounts flagged as part of a government investigation into “digital militias” accused of spreading disinformation.
A ban of the popular social media platform would impact about 40 million Brazilians who use X at least once a month, according to the Associated Press, which cited market research group Emarketer.
The absence of X’s Brazilian users would account for roughly 7% of the 570 million monthly users the company claims it has.
It is unclear to what extent a ban would reduce the platform’s daily users, which the company claims numbers 250 million globally.
X did not immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment.
Tangent
Musk’s satellite company, Starlink, has been roped into the conflict between X and Moraes, whose court froze Starlink accounts and, according to Musk, prevented Starlink from “conducting financial transactions” in Brazil. Starlink said in a statement Thursday the freezing order “is based on an unfounded determination that Starlink should be responsible” for fines the court issued against X.
News Peg
Musk has openly mocked and criticized Moraes since April, when X’s global government affairs page said it was forced to ban certain Brazilian accounts without understanding what violations the accounts committed. The order was part of an investigation into “digital militias” accused of circulating disinformation and divisive messaging, according to The Guardian. Musk said X was asked to suspend accounts belonging to prominent Brazilian journalists and sitting members of Brazil’s parliament, later characterizing the orders as “the most draconian demands of any country” and calling for Moraes’ designation. Musk suggested the platform would not comply with Moraes’ orders to suspend certain accounts, provoking the judge to accuse him of obstruction and include the tech billionaire in an investigation of X. The platform partially complied with the rule as some of the accounts remained active, according to Reuters, citing a report from Brazil’s federal police.
Key Background
In the latest conflict between X and Moraes, the judge gave the platform until 8 p.m. local time Thursday to comply with an order to appoint a local legal representative or face a ban. Musk lashed out at Moraes, saying in a tweet the judge has “repeatedly broken the laws he has sworn to uphold.” Musk and X’s recent posts criticizing Moraes suggest the platform will not budge on the legal orders, though it is unclear when a ban would become effective or whether X intends to appeal the ban (the platform has said it has attempted to defend itself in court despite its appeals of Moraes’ actions to the Brazilian Supreme Court “not being heard”).
