Written by Lisandra Paraguaso, Luana Maria Benedetto and Ricardo Brito
SAO PAULO/BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s telecommunications regulator said on Friday it will continue to suspend access to Elon Musk’s social media network X in the country in compliance with an order from a judge embroiled in a months-long dispute with the billionaire investor.
The move came after a court-imposed deadline for the popular social media platform to appoint a legal representative in Brazil expired.
Musk claimed that Supreme Court Justice Alexander de Moraes was trying to impose unjustified censorship, while the judge insisted that social media needed rules to regulate hate speech.
“They are shutting down the number one source of truth in Brazil,” Musk said in a post on X on Friday.
X remained available in Brazil on Friday evening.
The dispute also led to the freezing of the bank accounts of Starlink, a satellite internet service provider, in Brazil earlier this week. Starlink is a unit of Musk’s SpaceX.
In his ruling, Moraes ordered the suspension of X, formerly known as Twitter, in Brazil until it complies with all relevant court orders, including paying fines of more than $3 million, as well as appointing a local representative, as required by Brazilian law.
Moraes also ordered the telecoms regulator Anatel to implement the suspension order.
The agency told Reuters that it is continuing to implement the commitment, but without specifying a timetable.
To effectively shut down Site X in Brazil, telecom companies would need to stop carrying network traffic, while preventing the site’s users from evading it by masking their locations using virtual private networks, or VPNs.
Moraes also ordered that those who continue to access X via VPNs be fined up to 50,000 Brazilian reals, or about $9,000, per day.
Tech giants Apple (O:) and Alphabet (NASDAQ:) Google were initially instructed to remove the X app from their app stores. The companies were also instructed to implement so-called anti-VPN hurdles that would make it difficult for Apple iOS and Google Android users to open the X app on their phones or tablets.
But Moraes later backed away from that part of his order, saying it would not be needed.
Press offices for both Apple and Google declined to comment.
Guard dogs and dictators?
Unlike in many other countries, Brazil’s Supreme Court judges have broad powers to make unilateral decisions. But in the X dispute, Moraes had the support of a majority of the court’s 11 members, including President Roberto Barroso.
The dispute stems from an order issued by Moraes earlier this year that required X to block accounts involved in investigations into the spread of distorted news and hate.
Musk denounced the move as censorship, and responded by closing the company’s offices in Brazil, but insisted the platform was still available in the country.
He added that Starlink will continue to serve Brazilians, including the military, for free “until this issue is resolved.”
Earlier on Friday, Starlink asked the Supreme Court to suspend its order to freeze its local bank accounts, arguing that it had complied with all court orders. That request was denied on Friday evening.
When asked for comment, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva insisted that all companies operating in the country must comply with their legal obligations.
“Just because someone has a lot of money doesn’t mean they can disrespect (the law),” the leftist leader told local radio on Friday.
Musk mocked the president as Moraes’ “watchdog” in a post on Thursday, also calling the judge a “dictator.”
Moraes showed no sign of backing down at an event on Friday.
“Those who violate democracy, who violate basic human rights, whether in person or through social media, must be held accountable,” he added.
(1 dollar = 5.6121 riyals)