Brazil’s telecommunications regulator announced on Friday that it would suspend access to Elon Musk’s social network, X, following an ongoing legal conflict with Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The decision stems from X’s failure to appoint a legal representative in Brazil by a court-imposed deadline, leading to this unprecedented action against the platform.

The situation escalated after X, formerly known as Twitter, missed its Thursday evening deadline to comply with Brazilian law, triggering the suspension. Justice Moraes has been at the center of this dispute, emphasizing the need for social media regulation to combat hate speech, while Musk has criticized the ruling as an attempt to impose “unjustified censorship.”

Musk took to X on Friday to voice his frustration, stating, “They’re shutting down the #1 source of truth in Brazil.” The judge’s ruling presents a significant challenge for Musk, as Brazil represents one of X’s largest and most valuable markets, particularly at a time when the platform has been grappling with declining advertising revenue.

Although X remained accessible in Brazil late on Friday, reports from local users suggested that some were already experiencing blocks. Major telecommunications carriers in the country confirmed plans to block access starting at midnight, according to the news outlet UOL. This move follows Moraes’ broader order, which also led to the freezing of Starlink’s bank accounts in Brazil. Starlink, a subsidiary of Musk’s SpaceX, has been a vital provider of satellite internet services in the country.

Moraes’ order demands that X comply with all court orders, including the payment of over $3 million in fines and the appointment of a local representative, before the suspension can be lifted. The telecommunications regulator, Anatel, has been instructed to enforce the suspension, although it has not provided a specific timeline for compliance.

To enforce the ban effectively, telecom companies must block X’s traffic and prevent users from bypassing restrictions through virtual private networks (VPNs). Moraes has even imposed fines of up to 50,000 reais ($9,000) per day for those who continue accessing X via VPNs. Initially, tech giants Apple and Google were ordered to remove X from their app stores and implement measures to hinder VPN use, but Moraes later reversed this decision.

The legal battle between Musk and Moraes traces back to an earlier court order requiring X to block accounts involved in the spread of misinformation and hate speech, a move Musk condemned as censorship. Despite closing the company’s offices in Brazil, Musk kept the platform operational, and Starlink continued to provide free services to the country, including the military, until the matter could be resolved.

Musk’s attempts to contest the court’s decisions have so far been unsuccessful. Starlink’s request to unfreeze its bank accounts was rejected by the Supreme Court on Friday evening. Meanwhile, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reinforced the need for all businesses to adhere to the country’s laws, regardless of their owner’s wealth. “Just because a guy has a lot of money doesn’t mean he can disrespect” the law, Lula stated.

Musk responded by criticizing the president and Justice Moraes, labeling the judge a “dictator” and the president his “lapdog.” Despite Musk’s protests, Moraes remains firm in his stance, asserting that those who undermine democracy and human rights must face consequences, whether online or offline.

(Adapted from NDTV.com)