Telecommunications regulator Anatel suspended access to Elon Musk’s social network X following the judge’s ruling.
Even though social networking platform X remained up and running for its multi-million users on Friday, access to the platform closed on Saturday following a ruling by a judge who is in conflict with the social network’s owner, Elon Musk.
In the ruling, Alexandre Moraes ordered the suspension of X’s operations until all relevant court orders come to fruition, including the payment of more than $3 million in fines, as well as the appointment of a local representative, as required by Brazilian law. He ordered those who continue to access X through VPNs must face fines of about $9,000 per day.
Musk, for his part, said that Supreme Court Justice Moraes is trying to impose unjustified censorship, while the judge insists that rules against hate speech on social media should be enforced. He added: “They’re shutting down the #1 source of truth in Brazil,” according to him in the post on X.
Technology giants Apple and Alphabet’s Google have received instructions to remove app X from their app shops. Both companies were also to implement so-called anti-VPN barriers that would have made it difficult for users of Apple’s iOS operating system and Google’s Android to open the X app on their phones or tablets. The ruling later reversed for lack of necessity, with Apple and Google spokespeople declining to comment.
The dispute has its origins in an order Moraes issued earlier this year that required X to block accounts implicated in investigations into the alleged spread of distorted news and hate speech. Musk denounced the order as censorship. He closed the company’s offices in Brazil but ensured the platform was available in the country, saying Starlink would continue to serve Brazilians, including the military, for free until the issue reached a resolution.
