This is very disturbing, and indicates that the war on freedom of speech has intensified. The Supreme Court of Brazil has been the first court in the world to outrightly ban a social media organisation. Elon Musk's X has been suspended because X did not break confidence and reveal the name of a Brazilian legal representative, to censor political opponents. The judge had threatened X's Brazilian legal representative with imprisonment and later froze all her bank accounts, even after she resigned from the case. Thus, X was not even able to conduct a legal defence. There was a daily fine of 50,000 reais ($8,900) for people or companies using VPNs to access X.
This is a whole new level of censorship, perhaps the final step, where companies are just shut down, with no legal defence capable of being made as lawyers are attacked and punished.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/brazil-supreme-court-orders-shutdown-of-elon-musks-x-5715946
"The Supreme Court of Brazil has ordered the full suspension of Elon Musk's social media platform X in the country for refusing to name an in-country legal representative.
Brazil's Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued the order on Aug. 30, putting millions of users of the platform in Latin America's biggest economy on track to be cut off.
De Moraes's order, which gives internet service providers and app stores five days to block access to X, also announced a daily penalty of $8,900 for users in Brazil who use a virtual private network to evade the ban.
In his decision, de Moraes said X will remain blocked until it complies with his orders.
"Elon Musk showed his total disrespect for Brazilian sovereignty and, in particular, for the judiciary, setting himself up as a true supranational entity and immune to the laws of each country," de Moraes wrote.
The suspension was widely anticipated as X said on Aug. 29 that it expected to be shut down in Brazil because of what it described as "illegal orders" to censor political opponents.
"Soon, we expect Judge Alexandre de Moraes will order X to be shut down in Brazil—simply because we would not comply with his illegal orders to censor his political opponents," X said in a statement, in which the platform claimed that de Moraes had threatened X's Brazilian legal representative with imprisonment and later froze all her bank accounts.
Musk, who has accused Brazil of censorship, was included in a criminal inquiry into individuals who allegedly spread false information about Brazil's election and justice system.
The Aug. 30 suspension order follows de Moraes's Aug. 28 order that gave X just 24 hours to appoint a new legal representative for X Brazil in response to a petition filed against the company. In the Aug. 28 order, the judge warned that failure to comply would result in the platform's suspension.
X did not respond to a request for comment on the suspension order.
Musk has yet to issue a public statement on the suspension. He did praise reporter Glenn Greenwald's analysis of the case, however, in which Greenwald characterized de Moraes's demands as part of a broader trend in which regimes exert online platforms to stifle dissent.
"It is genuinely remarkable the lengths to which not just Brazil but countries throughout the democratic world are now willing to go to prevent the internet from being a free exchange of ideas where human beings can organize freely and privately because they recognize that is the one threat to establishment power and the status quo ruling class prerogatives," Greenwald said in his analysis, which Musk praised for having "well" articulated "the evil tyranny" at play in the suspension order."
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/08/elon-musk-fires-warning-americans-after-brazil-bans/
"Elon Musk fired off a warning to Americans after a Brazilian Supreme Court justice blocked X in Brazil.
The Brazilian Supreme Court Justice claimed he is banning X from Brazil because Elon Musk refused to name a legal representative to the country.
X's Global Affairs disputed this Thursday evening.
"Soon, we expect Judge Alexandre de Moraes will order X to be shut down in Brazil – simply because we would not comply with his illegal orders to censor his political opponents. These enemies include a duly elected Senator and a 16-year-old girl, among others," X's Global Affairs said.
"When we attempted to defend ourselves in court, Judge de Moraes threatened our Brazilian legal representative with imprisonment. Even after she resigned, he froze all of her bank accounts. Our challenges against his manifestly illegal actions were either dismissed or ignored. Judge de Moraes' colleagues on the Supreme Court are either unwilling or unable to stand up to him," Global Affairs said.
By Friday afternoon, X was banned in Brazil.
"Elon Musk showed his total disrespect for Brazilian sovereignty and, in particular, for the judiciary, setting himself up as a true supranational entity and immune to the laws of each country," Justice Alexandre de Moraes wrote in his decision.
"The justice said the platform will stay suspended until it complies with his orders, and also set a daily fine of 50,000 reais ($8,900) for people or companies using VPNs to access it." – AP reported.
Elon Musk lashed out at the Brazilian Supreme Court Justice and called him an "evil dictator."
Elon Musk warned that free speech likely won't exist if Kamala Harris steals 'wins' the 2024 election.
"Censorship is a certainty if Dems win," Elon Musk said in response to an X user claiming he "wouldn't be surprised to see X suspended in the US if the Democrats come into power again."
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have repeatedly attacked free speech.
Tim Walz famously said, "There is no guarantee to free speech on misinformation or hate speech and especially around our democracy."