Brazil’s Supreme Court has officially upheld the national ban on X, formerly known as Twitter, in a move that has sparked significant controversy both within the country and internationally.
Story Summary:
- The Supreme Court maintained the ban on X due to non-compliance with Brazilian laws.
- The platform’s refusal to appoint a legal representative in Brazil led to the ban.
- The decision has caused a surge in Brazilian users flocking to alternative social media platforms.
Supreme Court upholds decision to ban X in Brazil
The ban was first enforced on Saturday, following X’s refusal to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, as mandated by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
This refusal was seen as a defiance against Brazilian laws, which Justice de Moraes deemed unacceptable for any company operating within the country.
According to reports, Chief Justice Luis Roberto Barroso emphasised this point in an interview with Folha de S.Paulo, stating:
“A company that refuses to name a legal representative in Brazil cannot operate in Brazilian territory.”
The ban has led to a mass migration of Brazilian users to alternative platforms such as Meta’s Threads and Bluesky, the latter co-founded by Twitter’s original creator,
Jack Dorsey. Bluesky’s CEO Jay Graber highlighted the influx of new users, noting:
“At peak traffic over these past few days, we’ve had 20x the usual load on our infrastructure!”
Why was X banned in Brazil?
The controversy surrounding X’s ban in Brazil centres on its refusal to comply with an order from Justice de Moraes, who demanded that the platform appoint a legal representative within the country.
Elon Musk responded to this demand by accusing the Brazilian Supreme Court of attempting to enforce censorship.
The platform’s resistance led to its suspension, with de Moraes also imposing a daily fine of 50,000 reais (est. R158,518) for any individuals or companies using virtual private networks (VPNs) to access the site.
The decision has ignited a debate about free speech and the rule of law in Brazil.
Right-wing congressman Nikolas Ferreira criticised the ban, warning that “tyrants want to turn Brazil into another commie dictatorship.”
He called on Brazilians to resist what he perceived as an infringement on their rights.
The Brazilian Bar Association has expressed concerns over the fines imposed on VPN users, arguing that sanctions should not be implemented without due process.
As the ban remains in effect, the debate over its implications for freedom of speech and legal authority in Brazil continues to intensify.
