-
Brazil’s telecom regulator, Anatel, threatens sanctions against Elon Musk’s Starlink for refusing to block access to X, following a Supreme Court ban.
-
The ban on X was upheld due to the platform’s failure to appoint a local legal representative and alleged spread of hate speech and false information.
-
Musk has responded, threatening reciprocal seizure of Brazilian assets and defending X’s compliance with local laws.
Brazil’s telecom regulator, Anatel, has warned Elon Musk’s Starlink that it may face severe consequences, including license revocation, for defying a court order to block access to X. The social network, formerly Twitter, was banned nationwide due to alleged hate speech and false information about Brazil’s electronic voting system.
The Brazilian Supreme Court upheld the ban, citing X’s failure to appoint a local legal representative. The court also imposed daily fines of 50,000 reais (£9,000) for those circumventing the ban. Starlink, the only telecom operator to refuse compliance, claims it won’t block X until its frozen Brazilian bank accounts are restored.
Brazil’s President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, supports the Supreme Court’s decision, arguing that it sends a global message that wealth doesn’t place individuals above the law. Musk has responded, threatening reciprocal seizure of Brazilian assets and defending X’s compliance with local laws.
The ban has significant implications for Musk’s businesses in Brazil, particularly X, which has 21.5 million users in the country. The dispute highlights the ongoing debate on social media’s role in shaping public discourse and its impact on democracy.
