- By Anushka Vats
- Sat, 31 Aug 2024 08:26 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Brazil Suspends X: The Brazilian Supreme Court on Friday ordered the suspension of Elon Musk's X in the country after the tech billionaire refused to name a legal representative in the country. Elon Musk has also responded to the decision slamming Justice Alexandre de Moraes and called him "evil dictator cosplaying as a judge".
"Alexandre de Moraes is an evil dictator cosplaying as a judge," wrote Elon Musk in a post on X account. The action by the apex court on Friday intensifies the ongoing conflict between the two men regarding issues of free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes had warned Musk on Wednesday night that X could be blocked in Brazil if he failed to comply with his order to name a representative, and established a 24-hour deadline. The company hasn't had a representative in the country since earlier this month.
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"Elon Musk showed his total disrespect for Brazilian sovereignty and, in particular, for the judiciary, setting himself up as a true supranational entity and immune to the laws of each country," de Moraes wrote in his decision.
In a later ruling, he backtracked on his initial decision to establish a 5-day deadline for internet service providers themselves - and not just the telecommunications regulator - to block access to X, as well as his directive for app stores to remove virtual private networks, or VPNs.
Brazil's telecommunications regulator Anatel has 24 hours to comply. The regulator's chairman Carlos Baigorri told GloboNews channel that the country's biggest service providers will respond quickly, but added smaller ones might need more time to suspend X from their services.
The full bench of Brazil's Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case, but no date for deliberations was set.
The justice said the platform will stay suspended until it complies with his orders, and also set a daily fine of 50,000 reais (USD 8,900) for people or companies using VPNs to access it.
Elon Musk also took a swipe at Kamala Harris on X in the wake of the suspension of X in Brazil and wrote,"The attacks this year on free speech are unprecedented in the 21st century. It will happen in America too if Kamala/Walz gain power. Just listen to what they’ve said."
(With inputs from AP)