X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has made the decision to end operations in Brazil. However, despite this move, the platform will still be accessible to users in the country. This announcement comes in the midst of a legal battle between X and Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Moraes had sought to block certain accounts on X as part of an investigation into election disinformation and “digital militias.”
In a statement from X’s global government affairs account, the company revealed that Moraes had threatened their legal representative in Brazil with arrest if they did not comply with his censorship orders. X shared the secret order from Moraes, exposing his actions. The company’s appeals to the Supreme Court were not heard, leading them to make the decision to close their operation in Brazil to protect the safety of their staff. However, it is important to note that the X service will still be available to the people of Brazil.
Earlier this year, Moraes initiated a criminal inquiry into Elon Musk after X’s owner stated that they would defy a court order by lifting restrictions on designated accounts. Eventually, the company changed its stance and decided to block the accounts as initially ordered. Supporters of Brazil’s former far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, have criticized Moraes and called for his impeachment. Bolsonaro lost the election in 2022, and the Superior Electoral Court of Brazil has barred him from seeking office for eight years, alleging that he attempted to undermine the election through claims of fraud.
Elon Musk, who visited Brazil in 2022 and met with Bolsonaro, has also expressed his opinion on the situation, stating that Moraes should either resign or be impeached. In today’s post, X clarified that their Brazilian staff have no responsibility or control over the blocking of content on their platform. They emphasized that the people of Brazil have a choice to make – between democracy or Alexandre de Moraes.
This conflict highlights the tension between social media platforms and governments when it comes to issues of censorship and control over online content. It also raises questions about the role of social media in influencing elections and disseminating disinformation. The actions taken by X in response to the censorship orders from Moraes demonstrate the challenges faced by companies operating in countries with conflicting interests and legal systems. Ultimately, it is the people of Brazil who must decide the path their democracy will take in the face of these challenges.