Increasing Ban by Countries to Elon Musk-owned X platform

Brazil began blocking Elon Musk's social media platform X after the company failed to comply with a judge's order to appoint a legal representative in the country.

The suspension was triggered by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, escalating a long-running dispute between Musk and de Moraes concerning issues like free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation. As a result, X has become largely inaccessible in Brazil via the web and its mobile app.

China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Myanmar, Pakistan, Turkmenistan: These countries have long-standing bans on X, often due to concerns about censorship and content control.

Brazil's telecommunications regulator, Anatel, instructed internet service providers to block access to X (formerly Twitter) after the platform missed a 24-hour deadline set by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes to appoint a legal representative in the country.

This move comes amid ongoing tensions between Elon Musk and the Brazilian judiciary over issues like free speech and misinformation. As a result, major operators began suspending access to X from midnight local time on Saturday.

In his decision on Friday, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes criticized Elon Musk for disregarding Brazilian sovereignty and the judiciary, positioning himself as above the laws of individual countries.

As a consequence, he ordered the suspension of the social media platform X in Brazil until it complies with his demands to appoint a legal representative. Additionally, de Moraes imposed a daily fine of 50,000 reais (approximately $8,900) on individuals or companies using VPNs to access the platform during the suspension.

In a subsequent ruling, Justice Alexandre de Moraes reversed his earlier decision, removing the 5-day deadline for internet service providers to block access to X and his order for app stores to remove VPNs. This ongoing dispute also resulted in the freezing of the bank accounts of Musk's satellite internet provider, Starlink, in Brazil. Brazil, one of X's largest markets, has around 40 million users, but the platform has faced challenges due to the loss of advertisers since Musk acquired it in 2022.

X's CEO, Linda Yaccarino, expressed deep disappointment over Brazil's decision to block the platform, stating that it is a sad day for X users, particularly in Brazil, where access to the platform is being denied. She emphasized that Brazil is not upholding its constitutional commitment to prevent censorship.

X's Global Government Affairs page also highlighted concerns about the shutdown, attributing it to their refusal to comply with what they describe as illegal orders from Justice Alexandre de Moraes to censor his political opponents.

X has been in a heated dispute with Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, particularly over its refusal to comply with orders to block certain users. The platform revealed that de Moraes threatened their Brazilian legal representative with imprisonment and froze her bank accounts after she resigned.

X argued that the judge’s actions reflect an intent to suppress political opposition. In response, de Moraes cited Musk’s statements as evidence that X aims to promote extremist and anti-democratic content while avoiding judicial control.

Elon Musk's strong criticism of Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, whom he has labeled a dictator and tyrant, stems from de Moraes's actions and rulings that Musk and his supporters view as restrictive to free speech. Musk, who promotes himself as a "free speech absolutist," has expressed concerns that de Moraes's judicial decisions amount to censorship.

This stance has found support among Brazil's political right, who also argue that such measures infringe on freedom of expression. Musk's outspoken views and derogatory comments about de Moraes reflect his broader commitment to unrestricted speech and his opposition to what he perceives as governmental overreach.