A five-member panel of Brazil’s Supreme Court is set to vote on Monday regarding Justice Alexandre de Moraes’ ruling to shut down the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in the country. This development marks the latest chapter in a months-long feud between de Moraes and X owner Elon Musk.
The virtual session of the court’s first chamber, which includes de Moraes, will review his decision to suspend X’s operations in Brazil. The panel consists of Justices Carmen Lucia, Luiz Fux, Cristiano Zanin, and Flavio Dino, alongside de Moraes.
X was taken offline in Brazil, one of its largest markets, early Saturday following de Moraes’ decision. The suspension came after the platform missed a court-imposed deadline on Thursday evening to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, as required by local law.
The dispute between de Moraes and Musk stems from an earlier court order requiring X to block accounts implicated in investigations of alleged misinformation and hate speech. Musk has argued that this amounts to unjustified censorship, while de Moraes maintains that social media platforms need regulations to combat hate speech.
In response to the court’s demands, Musk closed X’s office in Brazil in August without appointing a new representative. This move escalated tensions between the tech billionaire and the Brazilian judiciary.
Chief Justice Luis Roberto Barroso has backed de Moraes’ decision, stating to newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, “A company that refuses to name a legal representative in Brazil cannot operate in Brazilian territory.”
The Supreme Court’s structure, consisting of 11 justices split between two five-member chambers (excluding the chief justice), allows for review of single-judge decisions. The panel can vote to maintain or reject de Moraes’ ruling.
REUTERS
