Media platform X, owned by Elon Musk, announced the immediate closure of its operations in Brazil due to what it describes as “censorship orders” by Brazilian judge Alexandre de Moraes. X claims that Moraes threatened one of its representatives with arrest if the platform did not comply with orders to remove content. The company published a document allegedly signed by Moraes outlining fines and arrest warrants against the representative if they did not comply. Brazil’s Supreme Court declined to comment on the matter or verify the authenticity of the document.
Moraes had previously ordered X to block certain accounts as part of an investigation into spreading fake news and hate messages during Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency. After Musk challenged the decisions and initially indicated non-compliance, X representatives later informed the Supreme Court that they would comply. Musk has criticized Moraes for his actions, calling them unconstitutional.
Musk labeled Moraes as a “disgrace to justice” in X posts and emphasized that the company could not agree to the judge’s demands for censorship and handover of private information. The X service remains available to users in Brazil, despite the closure of its operations in the country. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between tech giants and legal authorities regarding content moderation and freedom of expression.
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