The judge has ordered X's immediate and total suspension from the country until all court orders relating to X are complied with.
A Brazilian Supreme Court judge on Friday ordered the “immediate suspension” of social media platform X in the country after a court-imposed deadline for the company to identify a legal representative in Brazil expired.
The move is the latest chapter in an ongoing dispute between Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and Elon Musk, which also included freezing the financial accounts of satellite internet provider Starlink in Brazil.
In the decision, de Moraes ordered the immediate and total suspension of X in the country until all court orders related to X are complied with, including the payment of fines of 18.5 million reais (3.28 million dollars) and the appointment of a legal representative in Brazil.
De Moraes ordered telecoms regulator Anatel to implement the suspension order and confirm to the court within 24 hours of its enforcement.
In an attempt to prevent the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) to circumvent the block, de Moraes said that people or companies that try to maintain access to the social network that way could be fined up to 50,000 reais ($8,900) per day.
X said late Thursday it expected the Supreme Court judge to order the closure “soon,” after a court-imposed deadline for the company to identify a legal representative in Brazil expired.
Earlier this year, de Moraes ordered X to block certain accounts implicated in investigations into so-called digital militias accused of spreading distorted news and hate.
Musk, who denounced the order as censorship, responded by closing the platform's offices in Brazil. X, formerly known as Twitter, said at the time that its services would remain available in Brazil.
Amid the underlying dispute over X, Brazil’s Supreme Court also blocked local bank accounts of satellite internet company Starlink, which is 40 percent owned by Musk, prompting the company on Friday to ask the court to stay that decision.
