There seems to be no end in sight to the drama surrounding X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Today, Brazil’s Supreme Court judges are scheduled to vote on whether to uphold a ban on the platform imposed by Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
Moraes imposed the ban after divisive billionaire owner Elon Musk failed to appoint a legal representative to face questions about the alleged dissemination of fake news and hateful rhetoric on the platform.
Justice Moreas, dubbed a ‘dictator’ by Musk, cited concerns of the promotion of political violence and threats to democratic elections arising from the alleged fake news spreading across X.
Musk, in dozens of Tweets, has framed the ban as an attack on free speech while accusing Justice Moreas of communism.
Musk’s legion of supporters have echoed these sentiments.
Worth reading https://t.co/fCdPcWfb9I
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 1, 2024
Moraes has already garnered support from Chief Justice Luis Roberto Barroso, who told the Brazilian press on the weekend: "A company that refuses to name a legal representative in Brazil cannot operate in Brazilian territory.”
X is now banned in Brazil, which, according to Statista, is the social media platform’s sixth-largest market.
Upholding the ban could be devastating for X at a time when the site is losing billions in advertising revenue due to what X calls an “illegal boycott”.
Former clients, including Unilever, Mars and CVS Health, abandoned X in droves after Musk purchased the platform in 2022 after their brands were promoted alongside hateful and racist content.
Late last week, Texas Judge Reed O’Connor refused to dismiss a lawsuit brought by X against advocacy group Media Matters, which X’s legal representatives said “knowingly and maliciously fabricated side-by-side images” of major brands being advertised next to neo-Nazi content.
As the Brazil Supreme Court prepares to vote on the ban, Musk has ramped up calls to impeach Justice Moreas.