Media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has announced the immediate closure of its operations in Brazil due to what it calls "censorship orders" from Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes.

The decision comes amid an escalating dispute over content moderation and free speech on the platform, highlighting the Elon Musk-owned social media platform’s ongoing struggles with effectively managing harmful content.

X claims that Moraes secretly threatened one of its legal representatives in Brazil with arrest if the company did not comply with orders to remove certain content. The platform shared images of a document allegedly signed by Moraes, which stipulates a daily fine of 20,000 reais ($3,653) and potential arrest if X failed to fully comply with his directives.

"To protect the safety of our staff, we have made the decision to close our operation in Brazil, effective immediately," X stated. However, the company affirmed that its service would remain available to Brazilian users.

The conflict stems from Moraes' investigation into "digital militias" accused of spreading misinformation and hate speech during the tenure of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Earlier this year, Moraes ordered X to block specific accounts linked to this investigation.

X owner Elon Musk has been vocal in his criticism of Moraes, calling him an "utter disgrace to justice" and asserting that the judge's decisions regarding X are "unconstitutional". Musk stated that the company "could not have agreed to the judge's secret censorship and private information handover demands".

However, critics argue that X's stance fails to acknowledge the platform's own shortcomings in content moderation. Since Musk's acquisition, X has faced accusations of allowing hate speech and misinformation to proliferate unchecked. The company's reduced moderation staff and changes to its policies have been linked to increased instances of harmful content on the platform.

X's challenges with content moderation are not unique to Brazil. The platform has faced similar issues in other countries, struggling to balance free speech concerns with the need to curb the spread of dangerous misinformation and hate speech. Some observers argue that X's confrontational approach with regulators, exemplified by its actions in Brazil, may be counterproductive to addressing these complex issues.

The Brazilian Supreme Court has not yet commented on X's allegations or the authenticity of the shared document.

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