Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has set his sights on billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk in an ongoing investigation into the dissemination of fake news. The Justice accused Musk of waging a public "disinformation campaign" regarding the court's actions and alleged that Musk's social media company X was not complying with court orders to block certain accounts. Moraes stated that Musk's actions amounted to obstruction of Brazilian justice and incitement of crime.

The investigation is part of a larger probe into a network of individuals known as digital militias who spread defamatory fake news and threats against Supreme Court justices. Musk is now facing allegations of intentional criminal instrumentalization of X, obstruction, criminal organization, and incitement. Despite the accusations, Musk has remained silent on the matter on his platform X as of late Sunday.

The Justice's defenders argue that his decisions are necessary to combat fake news and threats to Brazilian democracy, particularly following an uprising in Brazil's capital that mirrored the events of the January 6, 2021 insurrection in the U.S. Capitol. However, critics from Brazil's political right view Moraes as overstepping his authority and engaging in political persecution.

In response to the investigation, Musk announced on X that the platform would lift all restrictions on blocked accounts, even if it meant losing revenue and potentially closing its local office in Brazil. He encouraged users to download a VPN to retain access if X was shut down and criticized the demands made by Moraes, claiming they violated Brazilian law.

Brazil's Attorney General also weighed in, calling for urgent regulation of social media platforms to prevent foreign billionaires from disregarding court orders and threatening Brazilian authorities. The situation underscores the complex balance between freedom of speech and the rule of law in Brazil, as the country grapples with the spread of fake news and online threats to its democratic institutions.