Brazil began blocking X and dispute between a judge and Elon Musk intensified
This Saturday, access to X (formerly Twitter) was blocked in Brazil, after a suspension of Elon Musk's social network was carried out by order of a court
Over the past 24 hours, Brazilians, including President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said goodbye to X, and some posted links to his accounts and profiles on other social media platforms.
Attempts to access the site through a web browser or through the application were met with an error message this Saturday.
The blockade came after Brazil’s Supreme Court on Friday ordered the suspension of X, because Musk refused to appoint a legal representative in the country.
Brazilian law requires companies operating in the jurisdiction to have legal representation. But X, formerly known as Twitter, closed its Brazilian representative office on August 17 after Judge Alexandre de Moraes threatened to prosecute its local representatives for their reluctance to comply with orders to block users.
The dispute widened this Friday when the Supreme Court denied an appeal by satellite internet company Starlink – also owned by Musk – to unfreeze its financial accounts, according to CNN Brazil.
The controversy and case also entangles Starlink
The financial accounts of Starlink, an internet service provider that the tech billionaire also owns through SpaceX, were frozen in the country on Thursday to ensure payment of fines imposed as part of legal disputes involving X.
Starlink is used by more than 250,000 people in Brazil, according to SpaceX. The service, which does not require a cable connection, is especially popular in the Amazon rainforest and remote rural locations, and is used daily by academics, tour operators and public officials in the region, as well as Brazilian Army units deployed there.
During Starlink’s appeal, the company argued that it is not a party to the case against X, and that the order to freeze its accounts violates its basic property rights.
Musk announced that the Starlink service will remain active for free
Late Thursday, Musk said the Starlink service will remain active for free since the company cannot receive payments due to the court order.
“Many remote schools and hospitals depend on SpaceX’s Starlink!” wrote Musk in X.
Musk, a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist” who also heads electric vehicle maker Tesla, has repeatedly claimed that De Moraes’ actions amount to censorship.
Other opinions favorable to De Moraes affirm that his actions against X have been legal, have had the support of the majority of the members of the court, and have served to protect democracy at a time when it is threatened.
For many, the judicial and controversial case is soaked or sprinkled with political-ideological struggle between right and left.
With information from Doble Llave
(Reference image: Firmbee.com on Unsplash)
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