It seems yet another country has decided that free speech isn’t a priority. Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has ordered the suspension of X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, effectively banning the site in the country. The decision comes after months of legal battles between Elon Musk and Brazil’s Supreme Court.
The ban comes with strict penalties for those who attempt to circumvent it; users who try to access X through a VPN will face fines. According to Bloomberg, the court’s decision follows Musk’s refusal to appoint a legal representative for X in Brazil, which de Moraes had mandated as part of his efforts to curb what he deems “fake news” and “hate speech” that threaten Brazil’s democratic processes.
This action is presented as a measure to fight “fake news” and “hate speech” to “protect democracy,” a narrative that has been used elsewhere in similar contexts. The decision raises concerns about free speech and whether this might be a trend that could extend to other nations under similar justifications.
The regime in Brazil just ordered:
— 𝕏 to be taken down within 24 hours
— App stores have 5 days to