Brazil’s Supreme Court has upheld a ban on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the court and X’s owner, Elon Musk. The ban was confirmed after three out of five justices voted in favor of the measure, ensuring that the suspension will remain in place regardless of the two remaining votes.
X has been suspended in Brazil since the early hours of Saturday, following the platform’s failure to appoint a new legal representative in the country before a court-imposed deadline. This legal battle stems from an earlier clash in April between Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and Elon Musk. The dispute began when Justice Moraes ordered the suspension of several X accounts for allegedly spreading disinformation.
Justice Moraes subsequently called for a five-member panel to vote on the suspension, a decision that has sparked considerable division in Brazil. So far, Justices Moraes, Flávio Dino, and Cristiano Zanin have all cast their votes in favor of upholding the ban. Justice Dino emphasized the importance of balancing freedom of expression with responsibility, stating, “Freedom of expression is closely linked to a duty of responsibility. The first can’t exist without the second, and vice-versa.”
While two more justices have yet to vote, their decisions will not alter the outcome, as the majority has already been reached.
Elon Musk reacted strongly to the ban, criticizing Justice Moraes and describing him as an “unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil” who is “destroying [free speech] for political purposes.” Musk argued that “free speech is the bedrock of democracy,” reflecting his broader concerns over the platform’s suspension.
In his ruling, Justice Moraes ordered tech giants Apple and Google to remove X from their app stores within five days and to block its use on iOS and Android devices. Furthermore, individuals or businesses found accessing X via virtual private networks (VPNs) could face fines of R$50,000 ($8,910; £6,780).
The tension between X and Brazil’s judicial system intensified last month when the platform closed its office in the country, citing concerns over threats of arrest against its representative for non-compliance with what X described as illegal censorship under Brazilian law. Justice Moraes had mandated that X accounts accused of spreading disinformation—many of which were linked to supporters of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro—be blocked while under investigation.
Brazil is one of the largest markets for X, making the platform’s suspension a significant development in the social media landscape. In response to the ban, many Brazilians have flocked to the microblogging platform Bluesky as an alternative. The platform announced on Saturday that it had registered half a million new users in Brazil over the previous two days alone.
Among the high-profile figures who have pointed followers to their Bluesky accounts is Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. On Thursday, he shared links to his social media profiles on various platforms, with Bluesky topping the list, followed by Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads, TikTok, and Facebook.
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber expressed her excitement over the surge in new users, posting in both Portuguese and English: “Good job Brazil, you made the right choice.”
This ongoing saga highlights the growing tension between social media giants and regulatory authorities worldwide, with Brazil’s Supreme Court taking a hard stance on what it views as the responsibility of platforms like X to prevent the spread of disinformation.