News Highlights:
- Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) announced the immediate shutdown of its operations in Brazil, citing “censorship orders” issued by a Brazilian judge.
- X released images of a document allegedly signed by Judge Moraes, which detailed a daily fine of 20,000 reais ($3,653) and an arrest warrant for X representative.
Social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) announced on Saturday that it would immediately cease its operations in Brazil, citing “censorship orders” issued by Brazilian judge Alexandre de Moraes.
Reuters reports that X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, claims Moraes secretly threatened one of the company’s legal representatives in the South American country with arrest if it did not comply with legal orders to take down some content from its platform.
The social media giant released images of a document purportedly signed by Judge Moraes, indicating that a daily fine of 20,000 reais ($3,653) and an arrest warrant would be issued against X representative Rachel Nova Conceicao if the platform failed to fully comply with Moraes’ orders.
“To protect the safety of our staff, we have decided to close our operation in Brazil, effective immediately,” X said.
Brazil’s Supreme Court, where Moraes has a seat, told Reuters it would not speak on the matter and would not confirm nor deny the authenticity of the document shared by X.
The X service remains available to the people of Brazil, the platform said on Saturday.
Moraes had earlier this year, ordered X to block certain accounts, as he investigates so-called “digital militias” that have been accused of spreading fake news and hate messages during the government of far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro.
The judge opened an inquiry earlier this year into the billionaire after Musk said he would reactivate accounts on X that the judge had ordered blocked. Musk has called the Moraes’ decisions regarding X “unconstitutional.”
After Musk’s challenges, X representatives reversed course and told Brazil’s Supreme Court that the social media giant would comply with the legal rulings.
Lawyers representing X in Brazil in April told the Supreme Court that “operational faults” have allowed users who were ordered blocked to stay active on the social media platform, after Moraes had asked X to explain why it allegedly had not fully complied with his decisions.
