X, formerly known as Twitter, made headlines over the weekend as it announced the suspension of its operations in Brazil. This decision came after the company refused to comply with alleged censorship orders from the Brazilian Supreme Court, particularly targeting supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro for spreading misinformation.
Elon Musk, who acquired Twitter and rebranded it as X, condemned the court’s ruling as draconian and called for the resignation of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. X’s Global Government Affairs team revealed that Justice Moraes had threatened to arrest the company’s legal representative if they did not comply with the court’s demands, leading to the immediate suspension of operations in Brazil.
Despite the closure of its office in Brazil, X assured users that its services would still be accessible in the country. However, Musk reiterated his disapproval of Moraes, accusing him of disregarding laws and imposing secret censorship demands.
The Brazilian Supreme Court has not commented on the situation, leaving the authenticity of the alleged arrest warrant in question. This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between social media platforms and government censorship, raising concerns about freedom of speech and digital rights.