Brazil Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes has fined social media platform X 8.1m reais ($1.4m) for failing to provide registration information of a Brazilian YouTuber accused of making threats against justices.
The fine highlights ongoing legal challenges for X in Brazil, where it was suspended in 2024 for non-compliance with court orders on hate speech moderation.
The company’s legal representatives in Brazil and its global press office have not commented on the matter.
Additionally, Moraes has ordered US-based video-sharing platform Rumble to appoint a legal representative in Brazil within 48 hours.
According to the legal filing, on 9 February 2025, Moraes had ordered Rumble to block the account of the same conservative YouTuber and suspend any payment transfers, under penalty of a daily fine of 50,000 reais.
However, Rumble currently lacks a representative in Brazil.
Rumble’s Chairman and CEO Chris Pavlovski addressed the order on X, stating, “We’re in receipt of another illegal and secret order.”
Pavlovski further asserted that Moraes has no authority over Rumble in the US unless through the US government.
He added, “no one will fight harder for your freedom of expression rights than me.”
Rumble, a partner of Trump Media & Technology Group, is involved in a civil lawsuit against Moraes filed in Florida.
The lawsuit accuses Moraes of attempting to suppress conservative Brazilian voices on social media.
The legal action follows federal charges against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for allegedly attempting a coup after his 2022 election loss.
