RIO DE JANEIRO — A Brazilian Supreme Court panel has upheld a ban on Elon Musk’s social media platform X amid the judiciary’s long-running dispute with the billionaire.
The majority on the court’s panel agreed with the earlier decision of Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes to block X in Brazil, German news agency (dpa) reported.
On Friday, the judge had ordered “immediate and complete suspension” of X, formerly Twitter, throughout the country until the court’s judicial decisions are complied with and the fines imposed are paid.
De Moraes accused X of taking insufficient action against the spread of hate speech and fake news. Musk, meanwhile, had accused the judge of censorship and labelled him an “evil dictator”.
The judge demanded that X block the accounts of right-wing activists who spread conspiracy theories and false information. Musk said this was unlawful and X did not comply with the request nor did it pay the fine imposed.
Musk then had the tech company’s office in Brazil closed in mid-August, citing fears the company’s representative in the country would be arrested.
De Moraes on Friday gave X an ultimatum, saying the platform’s access in the country would be suspended if the company failed to appoint a legal representative within 24 hours. Musk has let the deadline pass without appointing anyone.
The ban will remain in place until X has paid the fine of more than 18 million reals (nearly US$3.3 million) and appointed a legal representative.
According to media reports, X has around 20 million users in Brazil. — September 3, 2024