Will Brazil's Government Shut Down X for 20 Million Brazilians?

David Inserra

Statement from David Inserra, a fellow for free expression and technology at the Cato Institute:

Brazilian courts have now formally threatened to shut down X (formerly Twitter) in Brazil because X will not silence or provide information on individuals critical of the current government, including individuals living in the United States. The runaway judiciary claims it is protecting democracy from misinformation by

• ordering the secret suppression of online expression by prominent Brazilian voices including current members of the Brazilian Congress,

• the investigation and arrest of individuals for non-violent speech,

• and now the shuttering of a popular social media platform serving over 20 million Brazilians that won’t bend the knee to its abusive overreach.

Also, now there are rumblings that Brazil may be targeting Starlink and SpaceX, which are only partially owned by Elon Musk. If true, this would mean that other unrelated US companies and investors are being hit by Brazil’s judicial authoritarians.

While the people of Brazil are the most directly harmed by such censorship, this information suppression also impacts Americans and our companies, calling for a vocal defense from our government.

Previous blogs on Brazil and X:

The Brazilian Judiciary’s Continued Censorship and the Brussels-Brasilia Effect

Note to Brazil’s Judicial Crusaders: Censorship in the Name of Democracy Is Still a Threat to Democracy