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BRAZIL-POLITICS-COURT
Twitter, Facebook block accounts of Bolsonaro allies
RIO DE JANEIRO, July 25, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Twitter and Facebook
suspended the accounts Friday of 16 allies of Brazilian President Jair
Bolsonaro after a Supreme Court judge ordered them blocked as part of
a probe into an alleged disinformation campaign.
Tension has been soaring between the far-right leader and the
court, which is investigating allegations that members of his inner
circle ran a social media campaign to discredit the court, as well as
slander and threaten its judges.
The two US social media giants are also facing increasing pressure
to act more aggressively against hate speech and false information on
their platforms.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes said in his court order — which
enforced an earlier May ruling — the accounts must be blocked to stop
“the ongoing dissemination of fake news, slanderous accusations,
threats and crimes” against the court.
The affected accounts include high-profile figures such as
conservative former lawmaker Roberto Jefferson, business magnate
Luciano Hang and far-right activist Sara Winter.
Visitors to their Facebook and Twitter pages in Brazil, though not
other countries, saw messages indicating they were blocked.
“This content isn’t available right now,” read their Facebook pages.
A Twitter notice explained: “Account withheld in Brazil in response
to a legal demand”.
A linked message said the company “was compelled to withhold the
original Tweet in response to a valid legal demand, such as a court
order.”
The owners of the blocked accounts reacted furiously.
Winter called the court order worthy of a “dictatorship,” while
Jefferson drew a comparison to Nazi Germany.
BSS/AFP/MRU/1835hrs