In a recent development, Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes has threatened to ban the social media platform X in Brazil unless its owner Elon Musk names a legal representative within 24 hours. Failure to appoint a legal representative could result in the suspension of the platform’s activities. This threat is part of an ongoing feud between Musk and de Moraes, who has been cracking down on alleged misinformation and disinformation in the country.
De Moraes has previously ordered the suspension of over 100 X accounts, including some belonging to supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro lost the 2022 election to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after making baseless claims about Brazil’s electronic voting machines being prone to fraud. In April, de Moraes accused Musk of waging a disinformation campaign and disrespecting Brazil’s sovereignty by not complying with court orders to block certain X accounts.
Musk, who describes himself as a free speech absolutist, has criticized de Moraes for stifling free speech and violating Brazil’s constitution. X had announced earlier this month that it would shut down its operations in Brazil after de Moraes allegedly threatened one of the company’s legal representatives with arrest if they did not comply with his takedown orders. The Supreme Court did not comment on X’s claims at the time.
There are divisions among political factions in Brazil regarding de Moraes’s actions. Right-wing allies of Bolsonaro accuse the top judge of overstepping his authority to suppress political opponents. However, de Moraes’s defenders argue that his actions have been necessary to combat rampant disinformation and threats to democracy posed by right-wing groups.
Musk had met with Bolsonaro in 2022 to discuss the expansion of his satellite internet service Starlink and other technology projects in Brazil. The ongoing conflict between Musk and de Moraes highlights the broader struggle between tech giants and governments over issues such as free speech, misinformation, and sovereignty. The outcome of this dispute will be closely watched as it has implications for the regulation of social media platforms in Brazil and beyond.
