X to Be Banned in Brazil After Missing Deadline for New Legal Representative

By Thea Felicity

Aug 30, 2024 11:30 AM EDT

A photo taken on March 11, 2024 shows the logo of US online social media and social networking service X - formerly Twitter - on a smartphone screen in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany.
(Photo : KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)

Elon Musk's X is likely to be blocked in Brazil after missing a crucial deadline that was set by Brazilian authorities with an in-country legal representative expected by the end of Thursday, as reported by BBC.

The deadline was imposed by Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes amid a continuing fight over the terms of the platform's adherence to local regulations.

X and Brazil's Legal Dispute

The conflict between X and Brazil broke out after Judge Moraes ordered the suspension of several X accounts this year, accusing them of spreading disinformation. These accounts are reportedly from supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro. This, in turn, earned a raise from Brazil's ex-President. According to VCPost, Bolsonaro called Elon Musk a 'hero' for upholding freedom of speech on his platform.

Meanwhile, X continued to resist orders further escalating tensions between the platform and Brazilian authorities. Musk even publicly denounced Judge Moraes as a "tyrant" and "dictator," and threatened to reactivate the suspended accounts, as shared by Forbes.

Earlier this month, X closed its office in Brazil, citing threats of arrest against its representative if they complied with what the company deemed as censorship. In response to the missed deadline, X stated that it would not comply with what it described as "illegal orders" from the judge and has pledged to publish the judge's demands for transparency.

As a result of the ongoing dispute, the platform now faces a suspension that will remain in effect until it fulfills the court's requirements, including the appointment of a new legal representative and the payment of fines for alleged violations.

This is not the first time Brazilian authorities clashed with social media platforms as it also used similar actions against Telegram and WhatsApp in recent years, per AP News.