Brazil opens criminal proceedings against Elon Musk for obstructing freedom of speech
Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes has launched an investigation into Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX and Tesla, over his actions on the social platform X, formerly known as Twitter. According to Bloomberg, the charges against Musk include launching a disinformation campaign and misusing economic power to manipulate public opinion in the country under the guise of “freedom of speech.”
The conflict became more acute after Musk said he would ignore Brazil’s court orders to lift restrictions on some X accounts. He also publicly accused de Moraes of betraying constitutional values and called for his impeachment through his posts over the weekend.
In addition, Musk noted that he is facing threats from a Brazilian court to block access to the X platform throughout the country. In response, Anatel’s regulatory body has already warned local telecom operators about the possible shutdown of the platform, which is evidence of an escalating conflict between the tech tycoon and the Brazilian legal system.
The situation is becoming increasingly confusing given that the blocked accounts belong mainly to individuals from the right-wing of Brazil’s political spectrum, raising concerns about potential interference in the country’s political process and impact on freedom of speech.
Elon Musk, after acquiring Twitter, said that there would be no censorship on his platform. But the social platform is currently working as a propaganda platform for Musk himself and those political forces that appeal to Musk. For example, he supports the Kremlin’s man-hating policy in the war against Ukraine. Musk also gave wide latitude for Republican propaganda. Instead, he calls accounts that Elon Musk doesn’t like and his vision of the world bots and censors them.
