SAO PAULO, Brazil. Brazil began blocking Elon Musk’s social media platform X early Saturday after the company refused to comply with a court order, making the platform largely inaccessible on both the web and its mobile app. This decision follows a monthslong conflict between Musk and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes over issues including free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation.
The suspension was triggered when X missed a deadline imposed by Justice de Moraes to appoint a legal representative in Brazil. The justice’s decision is seen as an escalation in the ongoing battle between Musk and the Brazilian judiciary. De Moraes had warned that the platform could face a shutdown if the company did not comply, setting a 24-hour deadline which X failed to meet. As of midnight on Saturday, major internet service providers in Brazil began blocking access to the platform under the direction of the country’s telecommunications regulator, Anatel.
Justice de Moraes condemned Musk’s actions, stating, “Elon Musk showed his total disrespect for Brazilian sovereignty and, in particular, for the judiciary, setting himself up as a true supranational entity and immune to the laws of each country.” He added that the platform would remain suspended until it complies with the court’s orders, and imposed a daily fine of 50,000 reais ($8,900) for anyone using VPNs to access the site.
The conflict between Musk and the Brazilian judiciary extends beyond X. Earlier this week, Justice de Moraes ordered the freezing of bank accounts in Brazil belonging to Musk’s satellite internet provider, Starlink. The company had become entangled in the dispute after X failed to comply with the court’s orders.
X, formerly known as Twitter, has a significant presence in Brazil, with around 40 million users—nearly one-fifth of the country’s population—accessing the platform monthly. In a statement, X’s CEO Linda Yaccarino expressed her disappointment, saying, “This is a sad day for X users around the world, especially those in Brazil, who are being denied access to our platform. I wish it did not have to come to this – it breaks my heart.”
The social media giant has repeatedly clashed with Brazilian authorities over its reluctance to block certain users and content. In his decision, Justice de Moraes cited Musk’s statements as evidence that X intends to encourage extremism, hate speech, and anti-democratic discourse, and is attempting to evade jurisdictional control.
In response to the shutdown, many Brazilian users began seeking out VPNs to continue accessing X by appearing to log in from outside the country. It remains unclear how Brazilian authorities plan to enforce fines related to VPN usage.
Musk has consistently portrayed Justice de Moraes as a tyrant, claiming that the judge’s actions amount to censorship. However, defenders of de Moraes argue that his actions are lawful and necessary to protect democracy, particularly in light of the upcoming October municipal elections.
This is not the first time a social media platform has faced a shutdown in Brazil. Previous incidents have involved Meta’s WhatsApp and the messaging app Telegram, both of which eventually complied with Brazilian authorities’ demands to avoid long-term suspensions.
As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how X and Musk will respond to the legal and financial challenges posed by Brazil’s judiciary, and whether this conflict will set a precedent for other countries grappling with the regulation of global tech giants.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
