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After waiting 24 hours for Elon Musk to appoint a legal representative for X (formerly Twitter) in Brazil and not receiving a response, Alexandre de Moraes has just requested the suspension of X in Brazil from Anatel. Operators and companies have 24 hours to comply with the decision and anyone who chooses to use a VPN may receive a fine of 50 thousand. See
X is blocked in Brazil
Alexandre de Moraes has just sent a legal notice to Anatel requesting the suspension of Twitter in Brazil within the next 24 hours. The decision should take a few hours to take effect, given that it includes several procedures, including the programming of Anatel's own servers.
In the decision, Moraes requires that full access to the social network be granted until court decisions are complied with. The Minister of the Supreme Federal Court was also clear in saying that anyone who tries to use the social network illegally, via VPN, may receive a fine of R$50.
As a result, operators such as Claro, Vivo, and Tim must begin to take action so that their customers can no longer access Elon Musk's social network. Companies that do not comply with the decision in the next 24 hours may also be penalized.
The court notice was also sent to the Google and Apple . As they own app stores for Android and iOS, these companies must remove the app from X within the next 24 hours to prevent new installations.
On Thursday night, seven minutes after Alexandre de Moraes' deadline expired, X's government relations profile posted that it did not agree with the STF's decision, in addition to adding that "Unlike other platforms [...], we will not comply with illegal orders in secret." See below:
Elon Musk spoke out about the suspension of X in Brazil, saying that “They are taking down the #1 source of truth in Brazil.” The billionaire seems not to be worried about the blocking of his social network in Brazil and that this should be permanent. Let’s wait for the next chapters.
Introduction to the case
The dispute between Alexandre de Moraes and the X (old Twitter) started when the Minister of the Federal Supreme Court, known for his firm stance against misinformation and hate speech, ordered the blocking of accounts of people investigated for involvement in anti-democratic acts, including profiles linked to the senator Val landmarks (PL-ES). The company, however, resisted complying with the court orders, which intensified tensions and resulted in threats of severe sanctions, such as fines and the possible suspension of the social network in Brazil.
This action aims to ensure that X complies with Brazilian laws and pays the fines imposed by the courts after failing to comply with Moraes' orders to block profiles that attacked democratic institutions. In addition, the pressure on the former Twitter increased when Moraes threatened to fine and arrest the person responsible for the company's office in Brazil if the court decisions continued to be ignored. An excerpt from Moraes' decision, released digitally, highlights this possibility:
“daily fine of R$20 to the company administrator, Rachel de Oliveira Villa Nova Conceição, cumulative to that imposed on the company, as well as a prison sentence for disobeying the court order”.
Faced with these threats, the team of Global Government Affairs of X, on August 17, spoke out on social media, claiming that Alexandre de Moraes threatened X's legal representative in Brazil with arrest if the censorship orders were not complied with. The team also highlighted that the process was conducted through a secret order, which they consider a violation of the law and due process.
In the note, the company revealed that, to protect the safety of the team, it decided to immediately end operations in Brazil. However, the service of X remains available to Brazilian users. Check out the full note:
In response to the posting of the account of Global Government Affairs, the minister Alexandre de Moraes, through the official STF account, released this Wednesday (28) a requirement that Elon Musk appoint a legal representative in Brazil within 24 hours:
Additionally, on the morning of this Thursday (29), due to the absence of a legal representative of company X in Brazil, Alexandre de Moraes ordered the blocking of the accounts of Starlink Holding in the country. The company, which sells satellite internet services and is associated with Elon Musk, operates mainly in the North region. On August 18, the minister had already ordered the freezing of all the group's financial assets in Brazil to ensure payment of the fines imposed by the Brazilian courts on the X network.
Chronology of events
Disinformation investigation
The dispute between the Twitter and the STF started in 2021, when the Supreme Court, under the leadership of Alexander de Moraes, began investigating the dissemination of fake news and the incitement of anti-democratic acts, especially after the 2022 presidential elections. It is important to emphasize that the minister has stood out as a central figure in the fight against disinformation, issuing several court orders to block social media accounts that promote anti-democratic speech.
Conflict with Elon Musk
Elon Musk acquired the former Twitter in 2022, and X has undergone several transformations since then. After the acquisition, Musk openly criticized Alexandre de Moraes' court decisions, claiming that they represented censorship and an attack on freedom of expression. In April of this year, the billionaire defied court orders to block accounts, which resulted in a ruling by the Supreme Court to open a criminal investigation against the businessman, accusing him of obstruction of justice.
Closure of the office in Brazil
This August, as tensions rose, Elon Musk announced the closure of X's office in Brazil in response to threats of arrest of employees and increased daily fines for non-compliance with court orders. In response, Alexandre de Moraes required the company to appoint a legal representative in Brazil within 24 hours, under penalty of total suspension of the platform in the country. The deadline ends at 20:29 p.m. Brasília time on August 2024, XNUMX.
Blocking of Starlink Holding company accounts
The latest update on the case took place on Thursday morning (29), when Alexandre de Moraes blocked Starlink Holding's accounts in Brazil due to the lack of a legal representative for X in the country.
Possible ramifications
If the suspension of X in Brazil is carried out, it will have several repercussions. This is because many users who depend on the platform for communication and business will be directly affected. In addition, the measure could generate international debates about the limits of freedom of expression and the role of large technology companies in content moderation.
The situation remains critical and evolving, with Brazil closely monitoring upcoming decisions. Alexandre de Moraes e Elon Musk, in a discussion that challenges both the judiciary and the autonomy of digital platforms in the country.
What do you think about the dispute between the STF and X? Share your opinions in the comments below! Also, check out other articles from showmetech and stay up to date with the latest news and analysis on technology, politics and much more.
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