Elon Musk Condemns Brazil's Ban on Social Media Platform 'X'

Washington — Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has strongly criticized the Brazilian government's decision to ban the popular social media platform 'X,' which he owns. Musk described the suspension as one of the most significant assaults on free speech in modern times.

The controversy erupted after Justice Alexandre de Moraes of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court issued an order on Friday to suspend 'X' in the country. The judge had earlier demanded that Musk identify a new legal representative for 'X' in Brazil within 24 hours, warning that failure to comply would result in the platform's suspension. Musk missed the Thursday evening deadline, prompting 'X' to announce on Friday that it would refuse to comply with what it termed "illegal orders" from the Brazilian court. The company also sarcastically remarked that it expected 'X' to be shut down in Brazil.

Earlier this month, 'X' published a letter from Justice de Moraes, requesting censorship and user account information, noting that such demands could affect users not only in Brazil but also in the United States and Argentina. The platform had previously sent a letter to the judge, requesting the censorship of certain accounts in Brazil.

According to a report by The New York Times, Musk closed 'X's office in Brazil last week after Justice de Moraes threatened to arrest him for failing to remove specific accounts as ordered. The judge argued that ignoring the order constituted a violation of Brazilian law. 'X' has declared its intention to challenge these sealed orders, considering them unlawful. On Friday, Musk stated, "Free speech is the foundation of democracy, and in Brazil, an unelected pseudo-judge is destroying it for political purposes."

The New York Times also reported that Justice de Moraes warned that anyone in Brazil attempting to access 'X' via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) could face a daily fine of nearly $9,000. Additionally, the judge seized substantial funds from SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, another of Musk's businesses, in Brazil. The aim was to collect the $3 million fine imposed on 'X.' Starlink, which has over 250,000 customers in Brazil, has responded by stating it might offer its services for free in the country if necessary.