In a recent development, a Brazilian high court judge has mandated the restriction of access to the specified X digital platform.
Judge Richter Moraes mandates the Brazilian telecom regulatory body to execute all essential actions to comply with his decree within a 24-hour period. By Saturday dawn, numerous Brazilian users found it impossible to access X, the rebranded Twitter equivalent.
The judge threatened to impose a 50,000 Brazilian Real (approximately 8,000 Euros) penalty on users attempting to circumvent the block through means like VPNs, a tool functioning to circumvent location-specific restrictions.
In the initial phase, the judge also issued directives to Google, Apple, and local internet service providers to install tech restrictions and obstruct X app usage, plus website access. However, he later rescinded this directive.
Musk, the X owner, branded Moraes as a "bad dictator" posing as a judge, accusing him of attempting to "undermine democracy in Brazil." The billionaire accused the judge of intending to demolish "freedom of expression," a fundamental pillar of democracy, simply for political motives. He voiced these opinions on X.
Previously, Moraes had given X a deadline of 24 hours to appoint a new legal agent in Brazil, or face an immediate suspension of operations.
This extended a protracted argument between the judge and Musk. The conflict stemmed from Moraes' directive to ban several Twitter and X accounts suspected of propagating misinformation. These accounts belonged to advocates of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, who, after losing the 2022 election, alleged corrupt practices within Brazil's electoral system.
In April, Moraes levied allegations against Musk for reactivating some of the suspended accounts, prompting an investigation. Musk countered these claims, accusing the judge of censorship and expressing fears about the potential arrest of X's legal representative in Brazil.
Consequently, Musk announced the closure of X's Brazilian offices, which took place in mid-August. Regardless, Brazilians could still utilize the platform at first. X boasts more than 22 million users in Brazil.
Despite Musk's announcement, Brazilian authorities continue to monitor the situation closely. If X fails to comply with Judge Moraes' orders, it could face further penalties, including a potential nationwide blockade in Brazil.
Furthermore, the Brazilian Telecom regulatory body is pressured to enforce these measures effectively to prevent any loopholes, ensuring compliance with the judge's decree.
