A Brazilian judge ordered on Friday the “immediate suspension” of social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in the country, after a court-imposed deadline expired for the company to identify a legal representative in Brazil.
The move is the latest chapter in an ongoing feud between Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and Elon Musk, which also included the freezing of the satellite internet provider Starlink’s financial accounts in Brazil.
In the decision, Moraes ordered the full and immediate suspension of X in the country until all related court orders on X were complied with, including the payment of fines amounting $3.28 million and the nomination of a legal representative in Brazil.
Moraes ordered telecomunications regulator Anatel to implement the suspension order, and to confirm to the court within 24 hours that it has carried it out.
Fines for Brazilians who try to get around X blockage
To prevent the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) to circumvent the blockage, Moraes said that individuals or companies that try to keep access to the social network that way could be fined up to $8,900 a day.
X said late on Thursday that it expected Moraes to order a shutdown “soon” after a court-imposed deadline expired for the company to identify a legal representative in Brazil.
Earlier this year, Moraes ordered X to block certain accounts implicated in probes of so-called digital militias accused of spreading distorted news and hate.
Musk denounces Brazilian court decision
Musk, denouncing the order as censorship, responded by closing the platform’s offices in Brazil. X, formerly known as Twitter, said at the time that its services would still be available in Brazil.
Amid the underlying feud over X, Brazil’s Supreme Court also blocked the local bank accounts of the Starlink satellite internet firm, which is 40% owned by Musk, leading the company on Friday to ask the court to suspend that decision.
Why is Musk is moving Twitter headquarters out of California?
Elon Musk said in July he would move both his X headquarters in San Francisco and his SpaceX aerospace company from Hawthorne to Texas in protest of a state law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that prevents California schools from notifying parents if their children identify as transgender.
Newsom signed AB 1955 in July, which bars school districts and teachers from notifying parents and families if their children begin identifying as a different gender. Backers of the legislation said it will prevent “forced outing” of students to parents who may not support their children.
The bill also requires the state to provide resources to parents and students about how to discuss issues of gender identity.
The legislation was prompted by actions of select districts in the state, including one in Temecula, that enacted policies requiring teachers to notify parents about gender-questioning students. Backers of such policies said parents are entitled to be informed about issues involving their children’s health and education.
“This is the final straw,” Musk wrote on X, his social media platform. “Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas.”
He added in a subsequent post: “I did make it clear to Governor Newsom about a year ago that laws of this nature would force families and companies to leave California to protect their children.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why is Brazil banning Twitter? The court decision explained
