X has finally gone dark in Brazil — which joins China, Russia and North Korea in the dishonorable club of countries that ban access to social networks.
The extreme measure ordered by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes last week — and unanimously ratified by a panel of the top tribunal on Monday — comes after the company’s refusal to name a legal representative in the country, as demanded by legislation, and the shutdown of operations a few days earlier. But more broadly, it’s the result of months of increasing tension between the high-profile justice and X’s volatile egomaniac owner, Elon Musk.
Judge de Moraes has been leading the court’s offensive against hate speech and misinformation, forcing X and other social media companies to block Brazilian users including politicians and other influencers whom the justices have deemed as a danger to democracy. Musk’s refusal to comply with the latest legal requests ended up in X’s closure.
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