Brazilian Judge orders suspension of Elon Musk’s X amid legal dispute

The dispute began in April when Judge Moraes ordered the suspension of multiple X accounts for allegedly spreading disinformation.

By: Express Web Desk

Updated: August 31, 2024 04:35 AM IST

2 min read

Musk contended that his post was a joke and it was taken out of context but a major controversy erupted after the post. (AP)

A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has mandated the “immediate and complete suspension” of Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), in Brazil.

Judge Alexandre de Moraes issued the ruling due to X’s failure to comply with court orders and pay existing fines. X has been given 24 hours to appoint a new legal representative or face a nationwide ban, as reported by BBC.

Judge Moraes has also instructed Apple and Google to remove X from their app stores within five days. Users who attempt to access X through VPNs could face fines of R$50,000 (£6,700), according to a report by BBC.

Also read | Brazil’s Supreme Court freezes Elon Musk owned Starlink’s bank accounts

X acknowledged that it anticipated being blocked after missing a deadline to name a new legal representative. Earlier this month, X closed its office in Brazil, citing threats of arrest against its representative as a reason for not complying with what it called “censorship.”

Also read | What is Elon Musk’s feud with a Brazilian Supreme Court justice about?

Elon Musk, has been at odds with Judge Moraes since April when the judge ordered the suspension of multiple accounts for allegedly spreading disinformation. Musk has pushed back against the judge’s decision, calling him a “tyrant” and a “dictator” and threatening to reactivate the suspended accounts.

This dispute highlights the ongoing tensions between Musk and regulatory authorities over issues of free speech, misinformation, and platform moderation.

(with inputs from BBC)

From the homepage