X, ex-Twitter, suspends accounts of senator and blogger – 09/20/2024 – Mônica Bergamo
OX in Brazil took down nine profiles that were pivotal in the tension between Elon Musk and the STF (Supreme Federal Court) minister Alexandre de Moraes that resulted in the suspension of the social network in the country.
One of the accounts belonged to Senator Marcos do Val (Podemos-ES), which now displays the message “account retained” when accessed in other countries.
In addition to the parliamentarian, the profiles of pro-Bolsonaro influencer Ed Raposo, who ran for federal deputy for the PTB-RJ in 2022, of engineer Cláudio Luz, who had less than 600 followers at the beginning of August, and of pastor Josias Pereira Lima also fell.
Former Jovem Pan presenter Paulo Figueiredo, who maintained two active profiles, the wife of former congressman Daniel Silveira, Paola da Silva Daniel, the teenage daughter of blogger Oswaldo Eustáquio and pro-Bolsonaro influencer Sérgio Fischer complete the list.
In a petition sent to the STF, the platform does not mention, however, what was done with the accounts of João Ricardo Meri Alves and the wife of blogger Oswaldo Eustáquio, Sandra Eustáquio, who were also targeted by the magistrate.
OX had until now refused to comply with the court orders that ordered the accounts to be taken offline. Because of this, it was penalized with its blocking in August and with a fine of more than R$18 million.
The decisions related to the profiles were handed down on August 7, 16 and 20. Moraes ordered the blocking of the accounts after the Federal Police found evidence that “numerous people” began to intimidate public agents who were investigating “digital militias and attempted coups d’état.”
As the column showed, X has been sending signals of retreat to the court. The platform rehired lawyers from the Pinheiro Neto law firm to represent it before the Supreme Court, after dismissing them last week, and began complying with the determinations to remove profiles on Wednesday night (18).
Another positive sign issued by Musk was the note released by the company to try to explain the partial restoration of the X in Brazil. “We continue our efforts to work with the Brazilian government so that it can return as soon as possible to the Brazilian people,” he said.
This week, OX also paid the million-dollar fine determined by the STF and, through its lawyers, committed to appointing a legal representative in the country within 30 days — the last point that remains to be fulfilled.
with BIANKA VIEIRA, KARINA MATIAS and MANOELLA SMITH
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