A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has issued a suspension order for the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, following a legal dispute with the company.
Judge Alexandre de Moraes ruled today that X must be taken down after Elon Musk, the tech tycoon who owns the platform, failed to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, the largest country in Latin America by population.
The decision comes after a prolonged feud between the judge and Musk, exacerbated by X’s non-compliance with Brazilian legal orders to block accounts that spread fake news and hate speech. The court has also imposed a substantial fine of £2.5 million (18.5 million reais) on X and mandated that the company designate a legal representative within Brazil.
In addition to the suspension and financial penalties, Brazilian users of X face severe consequences if they attempt to access the platform using virtual private networks (VPNs). Those found circumventing the suspension with VPNs could be fined up to 50,000 reais per day, approximately £7,000.
The case highlights the escalating tension between global tech companies and national governments over regulatory compliance and accountability in the digital age.
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