Popular social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has been banned in Brazil, leaving millions of users unable to access the service following a dramatic escalation of tensions between tech billionaire Elon Musk and the Brazilian government.
This confrontation, which has been brewing for months, pits Musk’s vision of unfettered free speech against Brazil’s efforts to combat misinformation and protect its democracy.
The controversy began when Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the suspension of several X accounts belonging to supporters of Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro. These accounts were accused of attempting to discredit the voting system in the 2022 election, which Bolsonaro lost. Brazilian authorities are currently investigating whether Bolsonaro plotted a coup attempt to prevent current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from assuming office in January 2023.
The roots of this conflict trace back to the aftermath of the January 2023 uprising in Brasília, when Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings. In response, Justice de Moraes spearheaded efforts to purge anti-democratic, far-right voices from social media platforms, including X.
The showdown reached its climax on Saturday when Brazilian internet providers and mobile phone companies began enforcing a ban ordered by de Moraes. The judge had given X a 24-hour deadline to name a new legal representative in Brazil after the company closed its local office in mid-August. When X failed to comply, de Moraes ordered the “immediate and complete suspension” of the platform until it meets all court orders and pays existing fines, totaling 18.5 million reais ($3.28 million).
For Brazilian users, attempts to access X were met with error messages. The Guardian reported seeing a message stating, “Seems like you lost connectivity. We’ll keep retrying.” This sudden disconnection left X’s estimated 22 million Brazilian users scrambling for alternatives, with many flocking to rival platform Bluesky, which reported gaining 500,000 new users in just two days.
Musk, a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist,” pushed back against what he saw as censorship and attempts to stifle conservative views. His public attacks on de Moraes grew increasingly confrontational and vulgar. Musk strongly criticised Judge Moraes, calling him an “evil dictator cosplaying as a judge” and accusing him of “trying to destroy democracy in Brazil.” Musk argued that “free speech is the bedrock of democracy” and claimed that an “unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes.”
In his ruling ordering the ban, de Moraes accused X of treating the social network “like a no man’s land – a veritable land without law” by allowing the “massive propagation” of misinformation, hate speech, and anti-democratic attacks. Additionally, de Moraes threatened a fine of 50,000 reais (approximately $8,900) for anyone using technological means, such as VPNs, to circumvent the block.
“He is a dictator and a fraud, not a justice,” Musk wrote on X, though his words were no longer visible to Brazilian users without a virtual private network (VPN).
The conflict has exposed deep divisions within Brazilian society. Prominent right-wing voices rallied to Musk’s side, with congressman Nikolas Ferreira vowing to “radicalise, even if I do it on my own.” Musk responded by calling Ferreira a “freedom fighter.”
On the other hand, progressive Brazilians scoffed at Musk’s claim to be defending free speech. Many celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision as a demonstration that even the world’s richest person is not above the law. Leftwing congresswoman Erika Hilton wrote, “If billionaires want to have companies that make billions in these parts, they need to learn to respect the laws. Long live the rule of law and national sovereignty.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva weighed in on the controversy and stated that all individuals and companies operating in Brazil must comply with the country’s laws. He pushed back against Musk’s inflammatory comments in an interview with a local news station saying, “He can’t go around insulting presidents, insulting deputies, insulting the Senate, insulting the Chamber, insulting the Supreme Court. Who does he think he is?”
The ban on X is not just a setback for Musk’s vision of unregulated online discourse; it also represents a significant business challenge. Brazil, with the fifth-largest digital population globally, is a crucial market for X, which has reportedly struggled with advertiser losses since Musk’s acquisition.
The conflict has also spilled over to affect other Musk-owned enterprises in Brazil. Starlink, his satellite internet company, had its financial accounts frozen in the country to ensure payment of fines imposed as part of legal disputes involving X. This move potentially impacts over 250,000 Starlink users in Brazil, many in remote areas like the Amazon rainforest where the service is crucial for connectivity.
As the standoff continues, the broader implications for global tech regulation and free speech are becoming apparent. The Brazilian case represents a significant challenge to Musk’s approach to content moderation and his resistance to government oversight. It also highlights the growing tensions between tech giants and national governments seeking to assert control over online spaces.
For now, millions of Brazilians find themselves caught in the crossfire of this high-stakes battle between a tech titan and their country’s judiciary.
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