Brazilian government orders blockade of Musk's X platform

On August 31, 2024, according to the Associated Press, the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) owned by American tech tycoon Elon Musk was blocked by the Brazilian government because it refused to comply with the ruling of Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes. The Brazilian National Telecommunications Agency has required local internet service providers to suspend users' access to the platform as of that day.

The conflict between Musk and the Brazilian Supreme Court has a long history. After the riots caused by supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro in Brasilia in 2023, de Moraes promoted the demand that the X platform "eliminate anti-democratic and far-right voices." Musk is reluctant to comply with Brazilian regulatory requirements, and the two sides are in opposition. In April 2024, de Moraes targeted Musk in the "spreading false news" investigation. Musk then criticized the judge on social media. On August 17, X company said it closed its Brazilian office because de Moraes "threatened" to arrest its legal representative in Brazil. On August 28, the Brazilian Supreme Court's summons required the X platform to appoint a new legal representative within 24 hours. Musk did not respond, and the ruling took effect on August 30.

In addition to blocking the X platform, de Moraes also froze the bank accounts of Musk's Starlink company in Brazil. De Moraes said his ruling is in line with Brazilian law and that internet service companies need to have representatives in Brazil to accept court rulings. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also expressed dissatisfaction with Musk.

X company CEO Linda Yaccarino called the blockade order illegal. Musk posted a message accusing Brazil's "pseudo-judge" of undermining freedom of speech. After the X platform service was suspended, a large number of Brazilians turned to its compe*** Bluesky. Lula also posted his personal profile on this platform.

Brazil's O Globo newspaper said de Moraes' decision was supported by most members of the Supreme Court and considered the ban necessary. Brazilian left-wing female lawmakers and many people applauded the ruling. At the same time, Brazilian right-wingers support Musk.

The Rio Times reported that the legal dispute between X company and the Brazilian government highlights the challenges of technology companies and national governance and the difficulties of multinational companies' development in Brazil, which may cause concerns among international investors and bring uncertainties to the Brazilian economy. The New York Times believes that the blockade of X is one of the major challenges faced by Musk's efforts to transform it into a "digital square."