In a dramatic showdown, X and Brazil find themselves at odds over censorship orders. The battle comes as Brazilian judge Alexandre de Moraes allegedly issued secret threats to arrest X representative Rachel Nova Conceicao if certain content on the platform was not taken down. In response to these demands, X has decided to close its operations in Brazil, but the social media site will still be accessible to users within the country.
X’s decision to shut down its Brazilian operations is a direct result of de Moraes’ actions, according to the company. They claim that numerous appeals to the Supreme Court have gone unanswered, and the Brazilian public has not been informed about these orders. Despite this lack of transparency, de Moraes chose to threaten X staff in Brazil rather than respect the law or due process.
@GlobalAffairs X account has shared the following post:
Last night, Alexandre de Moraes threatened our legal representative in Brazil with arrest if we do not comply with his censorship orders. He did so in a secret order, which we share here to expose his actions.
Despite our numerous appeals to the Supreme Court not being heard,… pic.twitter.com/Pm2ovyydhE
— Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) August 17, 2024
Tensions have come to an end
The situation between X and Brazil is not new; Tensions escalated earlier this year when X owner Elon Musk said he would not comply with Brazilian orders to block certain accounts. This led to de Moraes opening an obstruction of justice inquiry against Musk, which resulted in X changing its stance and agreeing to abide by Brazil’s censorship demands.
The U.S. House Judiciary Committee has also weighed in on the matter, accusing Brazil of attempting to force X to censor hundreds of accounts, including those belonging to former President Jair Messias Bolsonaro, Senator Marcos do Val, and journalist Paulo Figueiredo Filho. As this high-stakes battle between X and Brazil continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the situation will ultimately play out.
In a statement posted on its platform, X expressed their disappointment at being forced to make the decision to close their Brazilian operations: “The responsibility lies solely with Alexandre de Moraes… His actions are incompatible with democratic government. The people of Brazil have a choice to make – democracy, or Alexandre de Moraes”.
In what countries is Twitter banned?
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