Brazil’s Supreme Court has imposed a ban on the microblogging site ‘X’. The platform’s mobile and web versions are no longer accessible to Brazilian citizens. This ban is the culmination of a long-standing conflict between the Supreme Court and ‘X’ owner Elon Musk.
What was the dispute?
‘X’ faced serious accusations of interfering with judicial proceedings and supporting criminal organizations, and an investigation is ongoing. Earlier this year, Judge Moraes ordered the suspension of several accounts on ‘X’ accused of spreading false information and hateful messages. Some of these accounts belonged to supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Following this, ‘X’ announced the immediate cessation of its operations in Brazil. The court had ordered ‘X’ to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, with a 24-hour deadline, which Musk ignored, leading to the ban. This decision has intensified the months-long conflict between Musk and Judge Moraes.
What is the court’s decision?
The court accused Musk of showing complete disregard for Brazil’s sovereignty and judicial system. The suspension will remain until court orders are followed. Additionally, a fine of 18.5 million reais (3.28 million dollars) has been imposed, and assets of Musk’s satellite internet company, ‘Starlink,’ have been frozen. Citizens and companies attempting to use ‘X’ via VPNs will also face penalties. Brazil’s telecom regulator, ‘Anatel,’ has been given 24 hours to enforce the decision, and Apple and Google have been instructed to remove the ‘X’ app from their app stores.
What is Musk’s response?
Expressing anger at the decision, Musk called Judge Moraes a dictator and liar and shared several memes on his account. He accused Moraes of attempting to end democracy in Brazil and urged entrepreneurs not to invest in the country.
What do citizens say?
Before the ban, ‘X’ had 22 million users in Brazil and was particularly popular among politicians, journalists, and influencers. With local elections approaching next month, the ban on ‘X’ could significantly impact political campaigns. The decision has divided public opinion in Brazil, with supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro siding with Musk, while opponents support Judge Moraes. Following the ban, the microblogging site ‘Bluesky’ has seen a surge in popularity in Brazil.
In which countries are social media platforms banned?
Social media platforms are banned in China, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. In 2009, China banned Facebook, Flickr, Hotmail, and ‘X’. Russia has restrictions on ‘X’, Facebook, and Instagram. Iran banned ‘X’ in 2009 following protests against presidential election results. After the military coup in 2021, Myanmar banned ‘X’ and Instagram. Since 2016, North Korea, and since 2018, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have banned social media platforms. Most of these countries have local alternatives, often closely monitored by the government. Recently, the arrest of Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov in France and the ban on ‘X’ in Brazil have reignited discussions on freedom of expression versus the responsibilities of social media platforms in relation to national laws and security.