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Topline
Elon Musk on Wednesday said X received a query from U.S. lawmakers on actions the social media platform had undertaken in violation of Brazilian law and claimed the law was being used to target accounts of sitting lawmakers in the country, amid the billionaire’s escalating public feud with Brazil’s Supreme Court.
X owner Elon Musk has been locked in a public feud with a Brazilian Supreme Court Justice who … [+]
Key Facts
In a post on X, Musk said the company “just received an inquiry from the US House of Representatives regarding actions taken in Brazil that were in violation of Brazilian law.”
Musk, who instructed the company to ignore the Brazilian Supreme Court’s orders to ban certain accounts in the country, said there were “hundreds, if not thousands” of such violations committed by the company, adding “This is getting spicy.”
The billionaire didn’t clarify if any particular House lawmaker or committee had sent the inquiry or what exact details were sought.
In a later post, the X owner claimed the platform was being asked to “suspend sitting members of the Brazilian parliament and many journalists.”
Musk once again attacked Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes—who passed the orders—by calling him a “dictator.”
News Peg
Musk’s posts were made after he participated in an X Spaces audio chat on the matter. During the discussion, he said: “Our concern here at X is that we are being asked to do things that are illegal. We are being asked to do things that directly violate the law by a judge.” He then accused the Brazilian top court of engaging in “abuse of judicial power to an extreme degree, that we’ve not seen in any country on earth.” The billionaire also claimed that by defying the court, the company was walking a “treacherous path” and trying to act “in such a way that doesn’t endanger X employees in Brazil.”
Crucial Quote
In a statement earlier on Wednesday, X’s Global Government Affairs team said it believes some of the court orders it received were “not in line with” Brazil’s internet laws and its constitution. “People should know why their account is blocked, or why they are being investigated, and given due process to defend themselves in public court…The secrecy around this process is damaging to trust in public institutions.
Key Background
Musk has publicly feuded with Brazilian authorities over the past week after De Moraes ordered a probe into the billionaire and X after accusing the social platform of hosting accounts that spread misinformation. The issue began over the weekend after the company’s Global Government Affairs team disclosed it had blocked certain popular accounts in Brazil after receiving court orders. They also claimed the court order did not specify any posts that violated the law or offered reasons for blocking the accounts. Musk later intervened and restored the banned accounts while attacking De Moraes. This prompted to the judge to open an investigation into the X owner, accusing him of starting a “disinformation campaign,” “instigating the disobedience and obstruction of justice,” and “declaring that the platform will terminate compliance with the orders issued by the Brazilian Court related to blocking profiles criminals and who spread fraudulent news.”
Big Number
$19,740.22 (BRL 100,000). That is the quantum of fine X faces in Brazil for every single day it refuses to comply with the court’s order.
Further Reading
Brazil’s Dispute With Elon Musk: Here’s What To Know As Judge Orders Investigation Into Billionaire (Forbes)
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