A dispute between Elon Musk and Brazilian authorities took a dramatic turn on Sunday as a Supreme Court judge launched an inquiry into the billionaire following Musk’s vow to reactivate social media accounts on the platform formerly known as Twitter, despite a court order to block them.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes had ordered the blocking of certain accounts as part of an investigation into “digital militias” accused of spreading fake news and hate messages during the administration of former President Jair Bolsonaro, and an alleged coup attempt.
Musk, who owns the social media platform now known as X and advocates for free speech, has vehemently opposed the court’s decision, labeling it as unconstitutional and demanding Justice Moraes’s resignation. The specifics of the blocked accounts have not been disclosed by Musk, X, or Brazilian authorities, although X acknowledged the order to block on Saturday without specifying when it was issued.
In a fiery X post on Saturday evening, Musk accused Justice Moraes of betraying the constitution and the people of Brazil, citing heavy fines, threats of employee arrests, and the potential shutdown of X’s operations in Brazil as consequences of the judicial actions. Despite the potential financial losses, Musk emphasized that principles supersede profits.
In response to Musk’s defiance, Justice Moraes added him to the ongoing investigation into fake news on social media and initiated an inquiry into what he deemed an obstruction of justice. Moraes stressed that X must comply with existing court orders, including refraining from reactivating blocked profiles.
Failure to adhere to the court’s directives will result in hefty fines for X, amounting to 100,000 reais ($19,740) per day, as stipulated by Justice Moraes. The Brazilian government, under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s leftist administration, expressed solidarity with Justice Moraes, with Solicitor General Jorge Messias condemning Musk’s actions and advocating for stricter regulations on social media platforms.
Messias emphasized the need to prevent foreign platforms from flouting Brazilian laws and disregarding court orders, urging for greater oversight of social media networks. This sentiment resonates with previous actions taken by Justice Moraes, who last year ordered an investigation into executives at Telegram and Google responsible for criticizing proposed internet regulation legislation.
The bill in question places the responsibility of identifying and reporting illegal content on internet companies, search engines, and social messaging services, proposing significant fines for non-compliance. As tensions escalate between Musk and Brazilian authorities, the clash underscores broader debates surrounding free speech, online regulation, and the role of foreign tech giants in national governance.