Media platform X announced on Saturday that it would cease operations in Brazil immediately, citing what it described as “censorship orders” issued by Brazilian judge Alexandre de Moraes.
The company, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, accused Moraes of secretly threatening one of its legal representatives in Brazil with arrest if the platform did not adhere to instructions to remove certain content.
X shared a document purportedly signed by Moraes, indicating that a daily fine of 20,000 reais (approximately $3,653) and an arrest warrant would be enacted against X representative Rachel Nova Conceicao unless the company complied with all orders.
“To ensure the safety of our staff, we have made the choice to shut down our operations in Brazil, effective immediately,” X stated.
The Supreme Court of Brazil, where Moraes serves, declined to comment on the situation and did not confirm the authenticity of the document released by X when approached by Reuters.
Despite the shutdown of its operations, the X service continues to be available for users in Brazil, according to the company’s announcement on Saturday.
Earlier this year, Moraes mandated X to block certain accounts in the context of his investigation into “digital militias” accused of disseminating misinformation and hate speech during the administration of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Moraes initiated proceedings against Musk after the billionaire indicated that he would restore accounts that the judge had ordered to be deactivated, leading Musk to label Moraes’ actions concerning X as “unconstitutional.”
Following Musk’s statements, representatives of X changed their stance and informed Brazil’s Supreme Court that the platform would comply with existing legal rulings.
In April, lawyers for X in Brazil told the Supreme Court that “operational faults” had allowed users who were supposed to be blocked to remain active on the platform, responding to Moraes’ inquiry regarding alleged non-compliance with his orders.
In posts shared on X this Saturday, Musk denounced Moraes as an “utter disgrace to justice” and expressed that the company could not acquiesce to the judge’s demands for “secret censorship and private information handover.”
© Thomson Reuters 2024
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