Brazil v Musk: Judge overreach is first salvo in global battle on free speech, activist says

Published On Sep 6, 2024, 5:55 AM

Elon Musk is in a legal battle with Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who ordered X (formerly Twitter) to ban certain accounts associated with individuals tied to a past coup attempt. Musk claims that the order violates free speech rights and the Brazilian constitution. Activists argue that this judicial overreach threatens broader free speech issues in Brazil and beyond, as it may set a precedent for government control over social media platforms. The situation escalated when Moraes also targeted SpaceX's Starlink service, freezing its accounts in Brazil and leading to concerns about internet access in remote areas. The ongoing conflict has prompted warnings that similar actions could spread to other platforms and countries.