Brazil's telecommunications regulator announced on Friday that it is suspending access to Elon Musk's social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), following a judge's order related to an ongoing conflict between Musk and the Brazilian judiciary. The platform missed a Thursday deadline to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, prompting the suspension.

Musk has argued that Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes is enforcing unwarranted censorship, while the judge maintains that regulating hate speech on social media is necessary. Musk reacted on X, claiming, "They're shutting down the #1 source of truth in Brazil."

The ruling threatens X's presence in one of its largest markets, a significant concern for Musk, who is already grappling with declining advertising revenue. While X remained accessible in Brazil late on Friday, some users reported their access was being blocked. Brazil's major telecommunications carriers planned to begin blocking access from midnight, according to local media.

The dispute also led to the freezing of bank accounts belonging to Starlink, a satellite internet service owned by Musk's SpaceX, in Brazil. Moraes ordered the suspension of X in Brazil until the platform complies with all court directives, including paying over $3 million in fines and appointing a local representative, as required by law. The telecommunications regulator Anatel has been tasked with implementing the suspension, though a specific timeline has not been provided.

To enforce the shutdown, telecom companies will need to halt X's network traffic and prevent users from bypassing the block using VPNs. Moraes has warned that those who continue to access X via VPNs could face fines of up to 50,000 reais ($9,000) per day. Although Apple and Google were initially ordered to remove X from their app stores and introduce measures to hinder VPN use on their devices, Moraes later reversed this part of the order.

Brazil's Supreme Court judges, including Chief Justice Roberto Barroso, have largely supported Moraes in the dispute. Musk, who owns 40% of SpaceX and leads Tesla, has criticized the ruling as censorship and temporarily closed X's offices in Brazil, while ensuring the platform remained operational. Despite the conflict, Musk has pledged to keep Starlink services available in Brazil, including for the military, at no cost until the issue is resolved.

Starlink’s request to unfreeze its bank accounts was denied by the Supreme Court on Friday evening. Meanwhile, Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva emphasized that all businesses operating in the country must adhere to legal requirements, stating, "Just because a guy has a lot of money doesn't mean he can disrespect" the law. In response, Musk called the president Moraes' "lapdog" and labeled the judge a "dictator." Moraes, however, remained resolute, stating, "Those who violate democracy, who violate fundamental human rights, whether in person or through social media, must be held accountable."