In Brazil, billionaire Elon Musk has criticized a ban on his social media platform X after it failed to comply with court orders. Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes unfroze the bank accounts of X and Musk’s satellite internet company Starlink after they paid fines amounting to over $3m. The decision to ban X came after Musk refused to remove accounts spreading misinformation and failed to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, as required by law.
Musk, who owns both X and Starlink, initially indicated that Starlink would not comply with the ban on X. Legal analysts have questioned the decision to penalize both companies, as they are separate entities. Musk has been vocal in his criticism of Justice de Moraes, calling him an “evil dictator” and accusing him of making arbitrary decisions. Musk has been known to promote far-right conspiracy theories and has shown sympathy for supporters of Brazil’s former right-wing leader Jair Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro’s loss in the October 2022 election led to calls for a military coup by his supporters, who stormed the country’s legislature on January 8, 2023. Bolsonaro has been barred from holding office until 2030 and has clashed with Justice de Moraes over inquiries into his actions. Musk’s support for Bolsonaro’s followers and his criticism of restrictions on X by liberal governments highlight his inconsistent approach to content moderation on social media.
While Musk has denounced efforts to restrict the spread of false claims on X by liberal governments, he has been willing to comply with requests from right-wing governments to remove content. In 2023, X agreed to block access to a BBC documentary on India’s Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi following a request from the Indian government. Musk cited the strict laws in India regarding social media content as the reason for complying with the request, indicating a willingness to follow local regulations despite his past objections to censorship.
Overall, Musk’s response to the ban on X in Brazil reveals his complex relationship with content moderation and government censorship on social media platforms. His support for right-wing figures and criticism of liberal governments’ actions suggest a nuanced approach to freedom of speech and expression online. The clash between Musk, Justice de Moraes, and Bolsonaro highlights the challenges of balancing free speech with the need to combat misinformation and protect democratic institutions.
