X’s Ban in Brazil

As of just 2 days ago, Brazil has banned the use of the popular social media app X, formerly known as Twitter for its citizens, following a misinformation row that has been disputed in the Brazilian Supreme Court. The situation arose when billionaire Elon Musk, owner of X and other companies like Tesla and SpaceX, refused to comply with a Brazilian order to block all accounts spreading misinformation or fake news on the platform.

Alexandre de Moraes, Supreme Court Justice of Brazil, was the one to take this decision, adding fuel to the fire of X’s feud with the court. On one hand, the court aimed to prevent conflict and misunderstanding on the platform, also ordering X to ban hate speech along with fake news. However, on the other hand, this raises concerns about disregarding citizens' right to free speech and expression, especially when speaking out about pertinent issues in ways that might be construed as hate speech. The fundamental right for citizens to express themselves being taken away is what sparked controversy in Brazil once the ban was announced. Musk reinforced this point by calling Justice de Moraes a “dictator” for making such a decision, yet he has not shown responsibility in keeping platform X clean or in compliance with Brazil’s social media regulations.

Flávio Dino, a member of the panel overseeing the case, which unanimously supported the ban, stated, “Freedom of expression is closely linked to a duty of responsibility,” echoing the sentiments of netizens who accused Musk of reacting immaturely to the situation. Others who supported his statement, though, were also allied by a former president who too tussled with de Moraes over the censorship of X. Their perspectives focused on what they saw as “judicial overreach,” where they felt the court was exerting too much control over what citizens could share or view. Musk was also involved in a similar dispute earlier in August with the European Union over the spread of fake news on X, for which little to no action was taken. Nevertheless, Brazil had - on top of the blockage of the app - fined Musk by freezing some assets from his satellite internet company, in compensation for non-compliance to regulations set by them, which prompted his colorful response.

X, formerly known as Twitter, has already been notorious for losing revenue and having a bad reputation after falling into the hands of Elon Musk ever since early 2023, with him having to face a multitude of lawsuits, cut back on 80% of his workforce and losing about $456 million in the same time frame. In addition to the losses faced by X, the criticism over the name change online has also defamed the platform quite a bit, and by 2024, nearly 30% of active engagement on the app has reduced. Faced with these statistics, it is safe to say that the loss of engagement from X’s Brazilian audience – the 7th most populated country in the world of which more than 10% actively tweet – will deliver another significant blow to X. The Supreme Court of Brazil has not stated whether individuals will be penalized for using VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) to access X but has given the hint that they will not be too strict on the law due to the backlash given by citizens. Additionally, though the decision has been upheld by the court, there isn’t much clarity whether they will overturn the order until Musk’s debts are paid, and his assets are unfrozen. BBC speculates that Musk will soon be investigated by the Brazilian Supreme Court due to this incident. This ongoing battle between Brazil's judiciary and Elon Musk raises critical questions about the balance between freedom of expression and the regulation of misinformation in the digital age, with the future of X hanging in the balance.