Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes has ordered the financial accounts of Elon Musk’s Starlink to be blocked amid an ongoing feud that could lead to the potential shutdown of Musk’s social media platform X in the country. Starlink confirmed receiving the order and stated it would address it legally. The decision to sanction Starlink is due to the lack of legal representatives for X in Brazil.
Musk has denounced de Moraes as a criminal and criticized the judge’s actions as censorship. De Moraes had previously ordered Musk to appoint a legal representative for X in Brazil within 24 hours or face suspension. X had previously announced the closure of its operations in Brazil due to censorship orders.
This latest move is part of a crackdown on misinformation and disinformation by de Moraes, who has suspended over 100 X accounts in recent years, some belonging to supporters of former President Bolsonaro. The feud escalated in April when Musk refused to comply with court orders to block certain X accounts, leading to accusations of disrespecting Brazil’s sovereignty.
Musk, known for his advocacy of free speech, has accused de Moraes of violating Brazil’s constitution. The conflict continues to escalate as both parties stand their ground on issues of censorship and legal compliance. The implications of this ongoing feud on social media and free speech in Brazil remain to be seen.
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