Tech billionaire and CEO of X, formerly Twitter, Elon Musk, is now under investigation by the Brazilian Supreme Court for obstructing justice in a social media dispute.
What Happened: On Sunday, Brazil Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes initiated an inquiry into Musk’s actions regarding social media company X, according to court documents.
Musk has been accused of instigating "criminal conducts practiced by digital militias" and that his actions are an "abuse of economic power, for trying to impact public opinion in an illegal way."
This inquiry comes after Musk contested a court ruling instructing X to block specific accounts.
See Also: Elon Musk Calls Brazilian Supreme Court’s Account Blocking Demands ‘Draconian'
Musk, who had earlier announced that X would be lifting the restrictions as they were unconstitutional, has been warned by Moraes to comply with all court orders, including the reactivation of blocked profiles.
If X fails to adhere to the order to block certain accounts, the company will face a daily fine of 100,000 reais ($19,740).
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Musk has been vocal in his criticism of de Moraes, even calling for his impeachment.
"This judge has brazenly and repeatedly betrayed the constitution and people of Brazil. He should resign or be impeached."
Musk encouraged X users in Brazil to download a virtual private network (VPN) app to access the social media platform even if it is blocked in their country.
Why It Matters: This development comes after Musk publicly criticized the Brazilian Supreme Court’s decision to block certain accounts on X. Musk labeled the court’s demands as “draconian” and condemned the censorship attempts.
Musk also called the proposed TikTok ban legislation in the U.S. a "serious concern" as he continues to voice opposition to what he considers to be censorship attempts.
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