Justice Moraes authorizes depositions of X representatives in Brazil

Justice Alexandre de Moraes of the Federal Supreme Court has granted authorization for the deposition of representatives from X (formerly Twitter) in Brazil. This action follows a request from the Attorney General's Office, which has initiated an investigation into the conduct of Elon Musk, the owner of the social network.

During the hearings, the General's Office aims to ascertain whether Musk has directed the posting of any content related to profiles banned by court order, whether the company has reinstated any profiles previously suspended by court order, and if so, who bears responsibility for such actions.

On November 9, the court's justice rejected a plea by social network X to shield its Brazilian subsidiary from the impact of court rulings made in Brazil. The company sought to limit liability solely to its international headquarters in potential legal actions.

In recent weeks, entrepreneur Elon Musk declared his refusal to adhere to the rulings of Brazilian courts regarding the suspension of accounts under investigation in the Digital Militias Inquiry (Inq. 4.874). These profiles stand accused of promoting violent disruption of the Democratic Rule of Law on social media, a crime outlined in Law 14,197 of 2021. In response, Moraes has included Musk in the ongoing investigations.

Jurists interviewed by Agência Brasil deemed Moraes' decision well-founded, as the investigations conducted by the Supreme Court delve into the actions of organized groups allegedly aiming to incite a coup attempt. These activities are believed to have led to the riots on January 8, 2023, in Brasília, during which the Planalto presidential palace, the National Congress, and the Supreme Federal Court were invaded and vandalized.