Brazil's Supreme Court has issued an ultimatum to Elon Musk, giving him 24 hours to appoint a legal representative for his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), in Brazil. Failure to comply could result in a nationwide ban of X, a significant blow to one of its largest markets outside the United States.
The court's order comes after Musk closed X's office in Brazil last week in protest against a Brazilian Supreme Court justice's demand to suspend certain accounts. This move could further challenge X's already struggling revenue streams following Musk's controversial stances that have alienated some advertisers.
The court's directive was posted online late on Wednesday, giving Musk until approximately 8 p.m. local time on Thursday to comply. At the time of the announcement, Musk and X had not responded to the threat of a possible ban.
Read more: X Halts Operations in Brazil Amidst Dispute with Supreme Court Justice
Musk’s dispute with Brazil’s Supreme Court
The conflict between Musk and the Brazilian judiciary centres on Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has accused Musk of facilitating misinformation, hate speech, and attacks on democracy. De Moraes has ordered the suspension of over 100 accounts on X, many of which belong to supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. These accounts have been implicated in questioning the results of the 2022 election and supporting anti-democratic actions, such as the storming of government buildings by protesters.
Musk, a vocal advocate for free speech, has criticised Justice de Moraes, labelling him a "dictator" and accusing him of overstepping Brazilian law by censoring conservative voices. This disagreement has escalated to the point where de Moraes has made Musk the subject of a federal investigation into the spread of “fake news.”
Telegram, WhatsApp also face bans under Brazilian law
Brazilian law mandates that tech companies must have a legal representative in the country to operate. This requirement has previously led to conflicts with other tech firms; for instance, Telegram narrowly avoided a ban in 2022 after quickly complying with court orders. WhatsApp faced a temporary ban in 2016 under similar circumstances.
Musk’s defiance follows his acquisition of X in 2022, where he pledged to uphold free speech while respecting local laws. However, his stance has led to further clashes, not only in Brazil but also in countries like Australia and India, where local authorities demand compliance with their legal frameworks.
Read more: UK Government Condemns Elon Musk's Civil War Comment Amid Riots
Musk's X (Twitter) faces ban if it doesn't comply with local requirements
If Musk fails to appoint a representative, Brazil’s Supreme Court may move to block X, mirroring actions taken against other platforms that did not comply with local regulations. This situation represents a crucial test for Musk’s approach to governance on X, particularly his commitment to balancing freedom of expression against compliance with national laws.
X has faced regulatory challenges in other nations as well. In Nigeria, the platform was banned in June 2021 after it deleted posts from then-President Muhammadu Buhari. In India, the government has also demanded X establish a local presence and comply with legal orders, or face severe penalties.
If Musk fails to comply with Brazil's demands, X could lose access to one of its significant international markets, further complicating its global operations amidst ongoing efforts to regain advertiser trust and revenue stability.
XingChi
