If you aren't concerned about freedom of speech yet, perhaps what is happening in Brazil will wake you up to the fact that the elite do NOT like it when normal citizens have a chance to make their voices heard:
According to TheHill.com, "A Brazilian Supreme Court justice ordered the immediate suspension of social media platform X throughout the country Friday, after the platform refused to name a new legal representative amid an ongoing feud."
Justice Alexandre de Moraes has officially instructed internet service providers and app stores in Brazil to completely shut down servicing X in Brazil within FIVE DAYS of his ruling.
To prove he's serious on this issue, it would appear as though he's also introducing a fine of up to $9,000 per day to anyone caught using the site formerly known as Twitter on a VPN. The judge's order will remain in place until Elon Musk's company complies with all court orders and pays all fines, according to Brazil's Supreme Court's website.
Elon Musk had been ordered on August 28 to "appoint a legal representative within 24 hours or face a ban in Brazil." Musk did not comply.
The platform formerly known as Twitter seemed to know what was coming:
X's Global Government Affairs team said on August 29 that "it expected the justice to 'soon' order the platform to be shut down in the country 'simply because we would not comply with his illegal orders to censor his political opponents.' The site formerly known as Twitter started having problems in Brazil a short while ago, when Judge de Moraes ordered X to suspend certain accounts from the site.
Brazil was so serious about censorship on Twitter that if the social media giant failed to comply with de Moraes' orders to censor certain accounts, "the judge said he would levy a daily fine of $3,650 against the company and order the arrest of its representative, Rachel Nova Conceicao."
Elon Musk said in a statement that this was NOT acceptable:
"Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purpose."
He then added another post on social media:
"The oppressive regime in Brazil is so afraid of the people learning the truth that they will bankrupt anyone who tries."
It is unclear how this battle between X and Brazil will ultimately shake out. Elon Musk has indicated that free speech is very important to him, but there have also been reports that X may eventually comply with Brazil's government's requests in order to keep operating in the country.
What do you think Elon Musk should do in this situation?
