Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, is on the brink of being banned in Brazil after failing to appoint a legal representative in the country by a court-imposed deadline. The deadline, which lapsed at 8:07 PM local time on Thursday (0:07 AM BST on Friday), was set by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who warned that non-compliance could lead to the platform’s immediate suspension.
This legal tussle traces back to April when Justice de Moraes ordered the suspension of several accounts on X for allegedly spreading disinformation—a move Musk condemned as censorship. In response, X announced on August 17 that it would cease operations in Brazil, citing these “censorship orders” as the reason. However, the platform remains accessible to users in Brazil despite this announcement.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva weighed in on Musk’s defiance, criticizing the billionaire’s stance: “Just because the guy has a lot of money doesn’t mean they can disrespect you. Who does he think he is?” He stressed that all investors in Brazil must adhere to Brazilian laws and urged Musk to comply with the Supreme Court’s decisions.
X has been operating without a legal representative in Brazil since August 17, a critical requirement for foreign companies. This absence hampers the platform’s ability to respond to legal notifications, particularly with Brazil’s upcoming municipal elections in October, where concerns about misinformation are high.
If a suspension order is issued, it won’t take effect immediately. The order would need to be communicated by the National Telecommunications Agency to over 20,000 broadband providers across Brazil. However, users may still be able to access X through VPN services.
In a related twist, Justice de Moraes has frozen the local bank accounts of Musk’s satellite and internet service provider, Starlink, to enforce fines imposed on X for failing to comply with court orders. Legal experts have criticized this move, arguing that Starlink, a separate entity from X, should not be penalized for the social media platform’s legal issues.
Musk has ramped up his criticism of de Moraes, calling him an “evil dictator” and accusing the judge of overreaching his authority. Musk’s previous statements about defying Brazilian court orders regarding content moderation on X have only intensified the legal standoff.
