Brazil's Supreme Court Upholds Decision to Ban Social Media Platform X

Brazil's Supreme Court reached a majority decision to uphold the ruling to shut down the social media platform X for not complying with local laws. The platform was taken down for missing a court-imposed deadline to name a legal representative in Brazil. Further fines were imposed for continued access via VPNs.

In a significant ruling, Brazil's Supreme Court upheld Justice Alexandre de Moraes' decision to shut down the social media platform X for non-compliance with local regulations. The decision was supported by Justices Flavio Dino and Cristiano Zanin, forming a majority even though Justices Luiz Fux and Carmen Lucia have yet to vote.

The platform was taken down in Brazil in the early hours of Saturday for failing to meet a court-imposed deadline to name a legal representative, a requirement under Brazilian law. Moraes also mandated hefty fines for users accessing X via VPNs. The issue reflects a broader conflict between Moraes and X's owner, Elon Musk, regarding compliance with legal orders.

Justice Dino emphasized that companies cannot operate in Brazil while disregarding local laws, supporting Moraes' stance. Justice Zanin added that non-compliance with Supreme Court decisions is a grave offense, arguing that no one is above the law in Brazil. The case underscores the complexities of enforcing national laws in the digital age.

(With inputs from agencies.)