Brazil’s Supreme Court has confirmed the ongoing suspension of the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter. The unanimous decision by the justices ensures that the ban, which took effect in the early hours of Saturday, remains in force.
The suspension of X in Brazil came after the platform failed to appoint a new legal representative in the country by a court-imposed deadline. This marks another chapter in the ongoing conflict between Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and X’s owner, Elon Musk, which started in April when Justice Moraes ordered the suspension of several accounts for allegedly disseminating disinformation.
Justice Moraes requested a ruling from the five-member panel on the suspension, a move that has sparked debate within Brazil. Justice Flávio Dino emphasized that “freedom of expression is closely linked to a duty of responsibility,” adding, “The first can’t exist without the second, and vice-versa.”
In response to the ban, Elon Musk criticized the decision, stating, “Free speech is the bedrock of democracy, and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes.”
Justice Moraes has given tech giants, including Apple and Google, a five-day deadline to remove X from their app stores and to block its access on iOS and Android devices. He also warned that individuals or businesses found accessing X via virtual private networks (VPNs) could face fines of R$50,000 ($8,910; £6,780).
X had closed its office in Brazil last month, citing threats of arrest against its representative if she failed to comply with what the company described as “censorship,” a move it claims violates Brazilian law. The accounts targeted by Justice Moraes for spreading disinformation—many of which are linked to supporters of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro—remain blocked while under investigation.
Brazil represents a significant market for Elon Musk’s social media platform. With X inaccessible, many Brazilians are migrating to alternative platforms, notably the microblogging site Bluesky. Bluesky reported that it gained half a million new users in Brazil over just two days following the ban on X.
Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has also embraced Bluesky, directing his followers to his account on the platform. He also shared links to his profiles on other social media platforms, including Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads, TikTok, and Facebook. Bluesky’s CEO, Jay Graber, welcomed the surge in users, posting in both Portuguese and English, “Good job Brazil, you made the right choice.”
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