Transparencia Electoral: STF ruling damages democratic conditions in Brazil

A little more than a month before the regional and municipal elections in Brazil, the Supreme Federal Court (STF, by its acronym in Portuguese) has made the decision to suspend the “X” platform (formerly Twitter) from the entire Brazilian territory until all judicial orders issued by the Court are complied with, fines are duly paid and a natural or legal person representing the company in Brazil is named in court.

Transparencia Electoral expresses its concern about this decision, which significantly affects political freedoms. “X”, as well as other digital platforms, have become fundamental spaces for political parties to present their programs, and for millions of voters it is a means to access information in real time that can shape their preferences.

While it is true that Brazil’s regulatory framework establishes the need for the platform to have a representative in its territory, the Supreme Federal Court’s ruling is clearly disproportionate and damages democratic conditions, as it excludes the social network from the entire country and threatens ordinary citizens with fines if they try to use it. Moreover, it is aggravating that this decision is taken untimely in the context of an electoral campaign.

Transparencia Electoral urges authorities to reconsider this decision and to try to establish contact with “X” through institutional and diplomatic channels to resolve this situation, in order to protect freedom of speech and the full exercise of the political rights of Brazilians.