X has been banned in Brazil after a Supreme Court decision to suspend the social media platform.
It follows months of negotiations between Brazilian authorities and X (formerly Twitter) owner, Elon Musk.
Musk has refused to comply with court orders for X to remove misinformation.
Brazil has the fifth-largest digital population in the world.
Background
Brazilian authorities have intensified efforts to combat online right-wing content and misinformation since the fallout of its 2022 election.
Far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro lost to Brazil’s now-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in October 2022.
Following the vote, Bolsonaro supporters led riots across Brazil, including an attack on the country’s Parliament.
Bolsanaro has since been found guilty of election interference.
Court Order
Last month, Supreme Court Judge Alexander de Moraes issued an order to X, requiring the platform to remove posts containing political misinformation.
It comes ahead of local elections in October when some 150 million people will vote across thousands of Brazillian municipalities.
Moraes warned X would face financial penalties and possible staff arrests for non-compliance.
In response, Musk closed X’s Brazil office and criticised the judge’s orders as “censorship”.
Shutdown
Last week, X was given 24 hours to appoint a court-ordered legal representative for its Brazil operations or risk an “immediate” nationwide shutdown.
The platform warned it would refuse to comply with the order.
Telcos began blocking users’ access to X after it missed the deadline.
Brazilian authorities said the suspension will remain in place until X agrees to appoint a legal representative and pay non-compliance fines.
Justice Moraes said the Supreme Court has a right to defend its citizens’ “fundamental rights”.
“Those who violate democracy, who violate fundamental human rights… must be held accountable,” he said.
Brazil’s President has urged Musk to “accept the country’s rules and respect the Supreme Court’s Decision.”
“Just because he has money doesn’t mean he can do whatever he wants,” Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said.
Elon Musk
Musk has called the X ban “illegal political censorship” by an “evil dictator cosplaying as a judge.”
In a post to X, the billionaire called free speech “the bedrock of democracy” and accused Brazil of destroying it “for political purposes.”
Musk suggested Brazilian users will change their VPN to get around the ban.
Justice Moraes warned anyone caught accessing X this way risked being fined over $AU13,000 a day.
Impact
Brazil has the fifth-largest ‘digital population’ in the world and is home to an estimated 22 million X users.
Bluesky – which launched as a Twitter alternative in 2019 – said it had recorded “all-time” high activity in Brazil, including one million new users following the X ban.
Voters will head to the polls for municipal elections in October. The next Presidential election is due in 2026.
Bolsonaro is barred from running for office until 2030 after the Supreme Court ruled in favour of a ban last year.
