A Brazilian supreme court justice on Friday ordered suspension of Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, in Brazil after Tesla CEO refused to appoint a legal representative in the country.
In his ruling, Justice Alexandre de Moraes instructed internet service providers and app stores to block access to X within five days and said that the platform would remain inaccessible until it meets his requirements.He also imposed daily fines of 50,000 reais ($8,900) for those using VPNs to bypass the block.
De Moraes also criticised Musk for showing disregard for Brazilian sovereignty and the judiciary, describing him as positioning himself above national laws.
Justice de Moraes had previously warned Musk that X could face a ban if he did not comply with the directive to name a representative. The social media platform has been without a local representative since early August.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes and Elon Musk have been in a public dispute for months due to X’s failure to follow court orders to block accounts accused of spreading fake news and hate speech. X has alleged that the supreme court justice threatened its Brazilian representative with imprisonment and froze her bank accounts following her resignation.
In response to the ban, Brazilian users have sought ways to access X through VPNs, said an AP report.
The trial for X’s suspension is expected to last until December, with Brazilian authorities closely monitoring the enforcement of the ban and related fines.
In his ruling, Justice Alexandre de Moraes instructed internet service providers and app stores to block access to X within five days and said that the platform would remain inaccessible until it meets his requirements.He also imposed daily fines of 50,000 reais ($8,900) for those using VPNs to bypass the block.
De Moraes also criticised Musk for showing disregard for Brazilian sovereignty and the judiciary, describing him as positioning himself above national laws.
Justice de Moraes had previously warned Musk that X could face a ban if he did not comply with the directive to name a representative. The social media platform has been without a local representative since early August.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes and Elon Musk have been in a public dispute for months due to X’s failure to follow court orders to block accounts accused of spreading fake news and hate speech. X has alleged that the supreme court justice threatened its Brazilian representative with imprisonment and froze her bank accounts following her resignation.
In response to the ban, Brazilian users have sought ways to access X through VPNs, said an AP report.
The trial for X’s suspension is expected to last until December, with Brazilian authorities closely monitoring the enforcement of the ban and related fines.
