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X, formerly Twitter, has been banned in Brazil after failing to meet a deadline set by a Supreme Court judge to name a new legal representative in the country.<\/b><\/p>\n
Alexandre de Moraes ordered the “immediate and complete suspension” of the social media platform until it complies with all court orders and pays existing fines.<\/p>\n
The row began in April, with the judge ordering the suspension of dozens of X accounts for allegedly spreading disinformation.<\/p>\n
Reacting to the decision, X owner Elon Musk said: “Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The social media network is said to be used by at least a 10th of the nation’s 200 million inhabitants. <\/p>\n
By Saturday morning some users had reported access to the platform was no longer possible. <\/p>\n
It closed its office in Brazil earlier this month, saying its representative had been threatened with arrest if she did not comply with orders it described as “censorship” – as well as illegal under Brazilian law.<\/p>\n
Justice Moraes had ordered that X accounts accused of spreading disinformation – many supporters of the former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro – must be blocked while they are under investigation.<\/p>\n
He said the company’s legal representatives would be held liable if any accounts were reactivated.<\/p>\n
X has been threatened with fines for refusing to comply with this order, with the company and Mr Musk joining critics in Brazil in accusing the judge as being left-wing.<\/p>\n