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A Brazilian Supreme Court Justice, Alexandre de Moraes has initiated an inquiry into billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s actions following a dispute over social media censorship.
The conflict erupted when Musk, the owner of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter),
publicly declared his intention to reactivate accounts that Justice Moraes had ordered to be blocked.
Musk, a vocal advocate for free speech, decried the court’s decision as unconstitutional and demanded Moraes’s resignation.
Justice Moraes, who is leading investigations into digital misinformation campaigns and an alleged coup attempt by former President Jair Bolsonaro, swiftly responded by including Musk in the ongoing inquiry into fake news on social media.
Additionally, Moraes opened a separate inquiry into what he termed as an obstruction of justice by Musk.
Musk, undeterred by the legal threats, vowed to challenge the court’s order and defend the principles of free speech.
In a defiant X post, Musk accused Justice Moraes of betraying the Brazilian constitution and people, citing heavy fines and threats against X employees.
Consequences loom for X, as Justice Moraes warned of daily fines totaling 100,000 reais ($19,740) if the platform fails to comply with the order to block specific accounts.
Meanwhile, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s administration expressed support for Justice Moraes, advocating for stricter regulation of social media platforms to prevent foreign interference.
This clash between Musk and Brazilian authorities underscores broader tensions surrounding digital freedom and legal accountability in the age of social media.
It also highlights the growing scrutiny of tech giants’ influence and their compliance with national laws and court orders.
Notably, this isn’t the first time Justice Moraes has taken action against tech companies.
Last year, he initiated an investigation into executives at Telegram and Google over their handling of a campaign opposing proposed internet regulation legislation, which aims to hold online platforms accountable for illegal content.
Chioma Kalu
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