A crusading Brazilian Supreme Court justice has included Elon Musk as a target in an ongoing investigation over the dissemination of fake news, and has opened a separate investigation into the U.S. business executive for alleged obstruction.
In his decision, Justice Alexandre de Moraes noted that Musk on Saturday began waging a public “disinformation campaign” regarding the top court’s actions, and that Musk continued the following day — most notably with comments that his social media company X would cease to comply with the court’s orders to block certain accounts.
Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX who took over Twitter in late 2022, accused de Moraes of suppressing free speech and violating Brazil’s constitution, and noted on X that users could seek to bypass any shutdown of the social media platform by using VPNs, or virtual private networks.
Musk will be investigated for alleged intentional criminal instrumentalization of X as part of an investigation into a network of people known as digital militias who allegedly spread defamatory fake news and threats against Supreme Court justices, according to the text of the decision. The new investigation will look into whether Musk engaged in obstruction, criminal organization and incitement.
“The flagrant conduct of obstruction of Brazilian justice, incitement of crime, the public threat of disobedience of court orders and future lack of cooperation from the platform are facts that disrespect the sovereignty of Brazil,” de Moraes wrote Sunday.
X’s press office did not reply to a request for comment from The Associated Press, and Musk hadn’t publicly commented as of Monday morning, apart from brief posts on X.
Brazil’s political right has long characterized de Moraes as overstepping his bounds to clamp down on free speech and engage in political persecution. In the digital militias investigation, lawmakers from former President Jair Bolsonaro’s circle have been imprisoned and his supporters’ homes raided. Bolsonaro himself became a target of the investigation in 2021.
@ISIDEWITH2mos2MO
How do you feel about the balance between stopping fake news and protecting free speech?
@9LF2FHV2mos2MO
I think you should try to protect free speech as long as it is just free speech.
@L3ftWingPoultryDemocrat2mos2MO
Good. If the US won't do it, other countries need to call Twitter into account over intentional distribution of misinformation.
The free exchange of information is critical to science.
But YOU want it suppressed. There is no such thing as 'misinformation'.
Dictatorial, authoritarian, fascist control of the free exchange of information is antithetical to freedom and liberty. That is why democrat hate it; they need to you to enslaved to the state; democrats never gave up slavery they just switched to tax slavery.
@SwingStateBoarsDemocrat2mos2MO
Elon Musk isn't above our laws! Our democracy is doing very fine thanks
@L3gislatorFaithLibertarian2mos2MO
That’s not what independent journalist from your country are saying.
You are fake news!
@SwingStateBoarsDemocrat2mos2MO
Do you mean those youtubers that was supporting Bolsonaro's coup attempt a year ago? Yeah you're probably with these guys as well, you are the fake news here
@ISIDEWITH2mos2MO
Do you think individuals should have the right to bypass government restrictions on social media?
@9LF3J4XWomen’s Equality2mos2MO
Brazilian Supreme Court justice is adding Elon Musk to an investigation over the dissemination of fake news and investigating
@LeftistSyrupConstitution2mos2MO
Alternate Headline:
Brazil on the brink of totalitarianism as they further restrict what information people have access to.
@InsecureBuzzardVeteran2mos2MO
Apparently, a justice there is investigating Musk for spreading fake news and obstructing justice, which is just such a shocker. I mean, it's not like Musk has a history of tweeting out wild conspiracy theories or anything.
@V0terAriaPeace and Freedom2mos2MO
Would people that support this, also support the U.S. prosecuting journalists, politicians, and liberal oligarchs for pushing stories/narratives that turned out to be false?
Or does misinformation only apply to current events? Who decides what current misinformation is? Experts?
@ISIDEWITH2mos2MO
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