Legal Showdown in Brazil: Elon Musk vs. Supreme Court

Elon Musk's social media platform, X, faces a severe legal battle in Brazil due to issues with local compliance and accusations of resisting censorship. Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes may order the shutdown of X, while freezing Starlink's bank accounts. Musk calls the judge an 'evil dictator' and plans to provide free internet to Brazilians via Starlink until the matter is resolved.

Social media giant X announced on Thursday that it expects Brazil's top court to order its shutdown, amidst a heated legal battle over compliance with local laws. Owner Elon Musk claims that the platform is being punished for opposing censorship.

Just before the court-imposed deadline, X continued to function normally in Brazil. Earlier, the Supreme Court had blocked local bank accounts of Musk's Starlink satellite internet firm, as the feud over X nearly led to its closure in one of its primary markets.

Musk criticized Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes for being an 'evil dictator' after the judge issued rulings against X and Starlink. In response, Musk announced that SpaceX would offer free internet to Brazilian users until the dispute is settled. The Supreme Court's actions stem from X's failure to appoint a legal representative in Brazil and unpaid fines.

(With inputs from agencies.)