Brazil's Supreme Court forms majority to uphold X's suspension By Reuters
BRASILIA (Reuters) – A five-member panel of Brazil's Supreme Court formed a majority on Monday to uphold Judge Alexandre de Moraes' decision to ban social media platform X in the country for not complying with local regulations.
Justices Flavio Dino and Cristiano Zanin sided with Moraes, forming a majority even if Justice Luiz Fux and Carmen Lucia were still to vote.
UX was taken down in Brazil, one of its biggest markets, early Saturday following Moraes' decision, after the platform missed a court-imposed deadline to appoint a lawyer in Brazil as required by local law.
Moraes also ordered that those who continue to access X through VPNs be fined up to 50,000 reais ($8,865.56) per day.
Moraes and X owner Elon Musk have been locked in a months-long dispute after the social media giant challenged legal orders to block accounts implicated in an investigation into alleged misinformation and hate speech in Brazil.
“It is not possible for a company to operate in the country and intend to impose its opinion on what laws should be applied or applied,” said Justice Dino when he sided with Moraes.
“A group that deliberately fails to comply with the court's decisions seems to consider itself above the law. Therefore, it can turn into a criminal.”
Zanin said that not complying with the decisions of the Supreme Court of Brazil is “very bad,” arguing that “no one can improve their jobs in Brazil without obeying the laws and the constitution.”
($1 = 5.6398 reais)
