Explained: Why did Brazil ban Elon Musk’s X?
The dispute originated when Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes took a stand against Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter). The judge accused X of failing to moderate content that allegedly incited violence and spread misinformation, particularly following the unrest associated with supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro. In April 2024, de Moraes included Musk and X in the ongoing “Digital Militias Inquiry,” an investigation aimed at combating online misinformation. The judge accused Musk of reactivating blocked profiles without court approval and obstructing judicial efforts to regulate online content.