X shuts down operations in Brazil over ‘censorship orders’

Brazil: On August 17, social media platform X announced it was shutting down operations in Brazil immediately, citing "censorship orders" from Brazilian judge Alexandre de Moraes. 

The company, owned by Elon Musk, claimed that Moraes threatened legal action against its local representative if it did not remove certain content.

X's Global Government Affairs account stated that Moraes's threats compromised staff safety, prompting the decision to close operations in Brazil. Musk criticized Moraes as a "disgrace" and argued that complying with the demands would force X to break multiple laws.

Earlier this year, Moraes had ordered X to remove accounts spreading fake news and hate speech related to former President Jair Bolsonaro. 

Musk deemed the order unconstitutional and unblocked the accounts, leading Moraes to initiate an inquiry into Musk. Although X eventually agreed to comply with the order, operational issues led to incomplete implementation.