Brazil blocked Elon Musk's X network

The X network, formerly Twitter, was shut down today (Saturday) in Brazil after the country's Supreme Court ordered the blackout of the activity after the network refused to suspend certain accounts.

Musk, known for his sarcastic remarks, reacted to the move harshly and called the decision: "Closing the number 1 source of truth in Brazil" and claimed that the Supreme Judge, Alexander de Moraes, is trying to enforce unjustified censorship. The judge, for his part, insisted that social networks need regulations regarding hate speech.

The suspension could cause X to lose one of its largest and most desirable markets, precisely at a time when Musk is facing a decline in revenue from advertising on the platform. Three of the country's leading media companies announced that they began blocking access to the tweet network at the end of the week.

The legal battle between Musk and Judge Moraes also led to the freezing of the bank accounts of the satellite internet provider Starlink in Brazil, a subsidiary of SpaceX owned by Musk. Moraes ordered in his decision that X be suspended in Brazil until she complies with all relevant legal orders, including the payment of fines in excess of $3 million and the appointment of a local representative, as required by Brazilian law.

In order to effectively block X in Brazil, the telecommunications companies will have to block the network's traffic, and prevent the site's users from bypassing the block by hiding their location using virtual private networks - VPN. Moraes ordered that those who continue to access X via VPN will be fined approximately $9,000 per day of use.

Unlike many other countries, Supreme Court judges in Brazil can exercise sweeping authority to make unilateral decisions. But in the current controversy surrounding X, Moraes has the support of a majority of 11 members of the court, including Supreme Court President Roberto Brauso.

The controversy surrounding X began with Moraes' directive earlier this year, which required the platform to block accounts involved in investigations into the spread of false news and alleged hate speech. Musk condemned the instruction and called it censorship. He responded by closing the company's offices in Brazil, but assured that the platform would still be available in the country. Musk also said that Starlink will continue to serve Brazilians, including the military, for free "until the matter is resolved."

Brazilian President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva addressed the controversy and insisted that all businesses operating in the country must meet their legal obligations. "Just because a guy has a lot of money doesn't mean he can disrespect the law," the leftist president told a local radio station on Friday.

Musk mocked the president and called him Moraes' "pet puppy" in a post he published Thursday, in which he also called the judge a "dictator." At Friday's event, Moraes showed no signs of backing down. "Those who violate democracy, who violate basic human rights, whether in person or through social media, must be brought to justice," he said.

The fight over X in Brazil raises important questions about freedom of expression, the role of social networks in society, and the balance between the fight against hate speech and maintaining freedom of expression. The consequences of the decision may affect not only X, but also other technology companies operating in Brazil and beyond.