Brazil's Supreme Court upholds X suspension amid dispute with Starlink

X suspension confirmed: Brazil's Supreme Court has unanimously voted to uphold the suspension of social media platform X, affecting over 20 million users in the country. 

The court's decision on Monday confirmed Justice Alexandre de Moraes' earlier ruling that X should be suspended due to its failure to appoint a local legal representative as mandated by law and previous court orders.

Court stands by X ban

The panel of justices, including Flavio Dino, Cristiano Zanin, Carmen Lucia, and Luiz Fux, supported Moraes' decision. Moraes had issued the suspension order after X failed to comply with a deadline to name a local representative.

However, the justices indicated that the suspension could be lifted if X adheres to the court’s directives. X was taken offline in Brazil early Saturday, impacting the platform’s sixth-largest global market, which had approximately 21.5 million users as of April, according to Statista.

Musk criticises Moraes' ruling

The conflict between Moraes and X owner Elon Musk has been ongoing for months. Musk has criticised Moraes, claiming the ruling is an attempt to censor users and accusing the Brazilian court of overreach. The X office in Brazil was closed in August, and Musk did not appoint a new representative, leading to the court's suspension.

On Monday, Musk characterised the suspension as an infringement on freedom of expression, responding affirmatively to comments framing the action as an attack on Brazilians' rights.

Justice Dino defended the court's stance, stating, "It is unacceptable for a company to operate within a country while attempting to dictate which rules apply."

Compliance could lift suspension

While Dino, Zanin, and Fux showed a willingness to reconsider the suspension if X complies with the court’s orders, Chief Justice Luis Roberto Barroso, who was not part of the review panel, criticised X’s attempt to avoid compliance through the removal of its legal representatives.

Meanwhile, Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet service, continues to provide access despite the suspension of X.

According to Brazil's telecom regulator Anatel, Starlink has not complied with the suspension order due to a freeze on its Brazilian bank accounts. This action came after X failed to pay fines for not submitting required documents.

(With Reuters Inputs)