Elon Musk discredits judge, potential ban looms for X in Brazil
Within a day, service X may experience a ban in Brazil, the court indicated. The company reported that this potential block will likely follow after they neglected to appoint a legal representative within Brazil's jurisdiction, missing an earlier court deadline.
The issue at hand revolves around disagreements between the Brazilian Supreme Court judge, Alexandre de Moraes, and tech mogul Elon Musk. Moraes, known for his staunch opposition to disinformation, imposed sanctions on various X user profiles and even ordered the suspension of some accounts in early 2023, alleging false information spread by Bolsonaro's supporters.
In April, Moraes levied penalties against Musk's company and Musk himself, claiming he had violated the court order by reactivating the banned accounts. Despite objections, Musk disregarded the ruling and dismissed the judge as an 'enemy of free speech.' Initially, he shut down X offices and continued to face fines, totaling 3.2 million euros.
After failing to pay the imposed penalties, Moraes set a 24-hour timeframe for the company to appoint a legal representative within Brazil. If the requirement isn't met, the court plans to suspend the operations of the social network in the country, as stated in the order.
Musk: Judge is "tyrant"
Additionally, the judge empowered authorities to freeze Starlink's financial assets, a move aimed to pressure Musk. The Starlink spokesperson argued that the decision was baseless as it held the satellite provider responsible for X's unconstitutional fines. They subsequently announced plans for legal action.
In response to the unjust actions, Musk took to the social media platform to condemn Moraes as a "tyrant," and alleging that the blocking of Starlink accounts is illegal as it unfairly impacts ordinary Brazilians and shareholders. Announcing an act of generosity, he vowed to provide free internet access to Brazilians via Starlink satellites until the case is resolved.
Following the judge's orders, Elon Musk faces potential service X operations suspension in Brazil due to the lack of a legal representative. Despite the ongoing conflict, Elon Musk referred to the Brazilian Supreme Court judge as a "tyrant" on social media.
