Brazil's stern warning towards Musk prompts his apprehension
Despite the ongoing ban, Brazilian users managed to momentarily reconnect to online service X once more. Authorities are suspicious that tech magnate Elon Musk might be pulling a trick up his sleeve. This loophole could turn out to be quite expensive.
Service X went offline again in Brazil around 4 pm local time (UTC -3), as per the Brazilian Internet Service Providers Association. The Supreme Court had issued a warning to X, an enterprise under Musk's ownership, stating that they would impose a daily fine of 5 million Real (around 800,000 Euro) if it kept disobeying the court's orders to block access for Brazilian users.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes had labeled X as "rebellious" and accused it of intentionally and persistently ignoring the court orders to block the service in Brazil.
On a surprising Wednesday, several X users regained access to the service, which had been blocked under a Supreme Court verdict. The AFP reported that the service, previously known as Twitter, was accessible via mobile networks and Wi-Fi for some users, while others remained unable to access it.
X claimed that this was simply an "unintended and temporary" event and attributed it to a network provider shift. The company also asserted that they were still collaborating with the Brazilian government to make themselves available in Brazil soon.
X under scrutiny for spreading misinformation
Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Moraes had banned X early in September, citing Musk's "contempt for Brazilian sovereignty and, specifically, the judiciary." Moraes justified the ban as a means to combat disinformation and hate speech. However, critics of the left-leaning Brazilian government, led by President Inácio Lula da Silva, accuse it of censorship and misuse of power.
In the past, Moraes had ordered the suspension of several X and Twitter accounts suspected of propagating misinformation, such as those supporting far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, who had spread unconfirmed claims about alleged vulnerabilities in the country's electoral system after his defeat in the 2022 election.
Musk has openly expressed support for right-wing US presidential candidate Donald Trump, who also backs Bolsonaro. Musk frequently posts content against a left-wing ideology on his X account. In his view, Justice Moraes is a "tyrant" and a "fake judge" who is "undermining democracy for political reasons" due to the ban.
Despite the ongoing ban and daily fines, the economy of X, a company under Elon Musk's ownership, might be benefiting from this loophole, as the service's temporary reconnection attracted attention and potential users.
The ongoing ban of X in Brazil, accused of spreading misinformation and ignoring court orders, has sparked disputes about freedom of speech and censorship in the country.
