Supreme Court Confirms Ban on Elon Musk’s X in Brazil, Imposes Fines for VPN Use
Brazil’s Supreme Court on Monday upheld a ban on Elon Musk’s social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, and imposed hefty fines on anyone using a VPN to circumvent the block, Bloomberg reports.
The court’s unanimous decision, reached during a virtual hearing, comes after Musk defied several court orders, including refusing to appoint a legal representative for the platform in Brazil.
The ban, initially ordered by Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Friday, was put into effect over the weekend, effectively cutting off access for X’s 20 million users in Brazil.
Moraes, who is leading efforts to combat fake news and hate speech in the country, has faced criticism for allegedly overstepping his authority and limiting free speech. His latest order requires X to comply with several demands: block profiles promoting anti-democratic or criminal content, pay outstanding fines, and appoint a legal representative in Brazil.
The Supreme Court panel, in addition to confirming the ban, also upheld Moraes’s decision to fine individuals using VPNs to access X a daily amount of 50,000 reais ($8,900).
The court did not address the order to block the bank accounts of Musk’s satellite internet company, Starlink. This decision was aimed at forcing Starlink to pay fines imposed on X, a move Starlink contested, arguing it is not directly involved in the case against X. However, Justice Cristiano Zanin rejected Starlink’s appeal, upholding the asset freeze.
Adding to the tension, Brazil’s telecommunications agency, Anatel, confirmed that Starlink informally informed them it would not comply with the X suspension order.
