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A panel of Brazil’s federal supreme courts has voted unanimously in favor of injunctions to suspend the use of Elon Musk’s social network X nationwide.
One judge, Luiz Fux, voted in favor but expressed “reservations” about a measure of the provision that allows the court to fine people or businesses involved in “circumvention”, for example by using a VPN, to use X while blocked.
The court’s chief judge, Alexandre de Moraes, had issued the controversial suspension orders late Friday after warning on Wednesday that Musk and X had 24 hours to appoint a legal representative for their operations in Brazil or face “punishment suspension of activities”. X had previously defied court requests to take down accounts or posts he said violated Brazil’s laws on political disinformation and online hate speech.
The court also froze the financial assets of another Musk-led venture, satellite internet service Starlink, in Brazil to ensure his social network pays the fines.
Brazil’s telecoms regulator Anatel has ordered internet service providers, including Starlink, to block access to X in the country until it complies with court orders. However, based on Brazil UOL reportedStarlink has informed the regulator that it does not intend to comply with the orders and now faces the possibility that Brazil may revoke its operating licenses there.
Brazil’s suspension of X took effect early Saturday, rendering the app and website mostly inaccessible to users in the country, a major US non-NATO ally with a highly online population.
Musk and his companies said they view De Moraes’ actions as “illegal” and that the court orders were issued without due process. The tech billionaire has been stepping up his insults and calls for de Moraes’ impeachment all week. Musk escalated his rhetoric over the Labor Day weekend in the US
He called for an end to the US foreign aid to Brazil, adding that “there will be mutual confiscation of assets of those who support the current regime in Brazil to pay for their illegal actions,” without providing any evidence to support his statement.
On Monday, Musk called De Moraes “criminal” and wrote inside another post at X, “Unless the Brazilian government returns SpaceX and SpaceX’s illegally seized property, we will also seek mutual seizure of government assets.”
The Associated Press was mentioned the banning of X in Brazil had “divided users and politicians over the legality of the ban” and that many Brazilians “had difficulties and doubts about navigating other social media in his absence”.
However, some social media users in Brazil are moving to other social networks. Bluesky on August 30th show up “New all-time high for activity” from users in Brazil.
SpaceX and Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
Musk has described himself as a champion of free speech, but his track record is inconsistent. While resisting orders to remove accounts or content from authorities in Brazil and Australia, under his management, X removed content critical of the ruling parties in Turkey and India.
