Brasilia, Brazil.- A judge in Brazil ordered X’s operations in Brazil to be suspended “immediately” after the tech billionaire refused to appoint a legal representative in the country, according to a copy of the decision seen by The Associated Press.
The move further escalates a months-long dispute between the two men over free speech, far-right narratives and disinformation.
Judge Alexandre de Moraes had warned Musk on Wednesday night that X could be blocked in Brazil if it did not comply with his order to appoint a representative, and set a 24-hour deadline. The company has not had a representative in the country since earlier this month. De Moraes said the platform would remain blocked until it complies.
Brazil is a major market for X, which has struggled with the loss of advertisers since Musk bought the former Twitter in 2022. Market research group Emarketer says some 40 million Brazilians, roughly a fifth of the population, access X at least once a month.
#Judge #orders #suspended #Brazil