In a surprising move, social media giant X (formerly Twitter) has declared an abrupt end to its operations in Brazil. This decision comes amid escalating tensions with Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes over content moderation and alleged censorship.
X's global government affairs account released a statement explaining the company's position: "We have made the decision to close our operation in Brazil, effective immediately." The company cited threats of arrest against their legal representative in Brazil if they failed to comply with what X terms "censorship orders" from Justice Moraes.
Despite shutting down its local operations, X assured that its service would remain accessible to Brazilian users. This closure appears to primarily affect X's staff and physical presence in the country.
The conflict stems from an ongoing investigation into election disinformation and "digital militias" led by Justice Moraes. As part of this probe, Moraes sought to block certain X accounts, including those belonging to "a pastor, a current Parliamentarian, and the wife of a former Parliamentarian," according to X's statement.
This isn't the first clash between X and Brazilian authorities. Earlier this year, X's owner Elon Musk faced a criminal inquiry after initially refusing to comply with court orders to restrict designated accounts. Musk has been vocal in his criticism of Moraes, calling for his resignation or impeachment.
The situation highlights the complex relationship between social media platforms, free speech, and government regulation. X's dramatic exit from Brazil raises questions about the future of social media operations in countries with stringent content moderation demands.
As this story develops, it remains to be seen how the Brazilian government will respond and what long-term impact this decision will have on X's user base in Brazil.