17-11-2024 (RIO DE JANEIRO) Brazil’s First Lady Janja Lula da Silva has sparked controversy at a G20 preparatory event in Rio de Janeiro with an unprecedented verbal attack on tech billionaire Elon Musk during her address on social media regulation.
Speaking at the pre-summit gathering, da Silva was discussing the challenges of combating online misinformation when she made her remarksrtled audience members. After a ship’s horn interrupted her speech, she quipped, “I think it’s Elon Musk,” before directing strong language at the X (formerly Twitter) owner.
Janja da Silva, Lula’s wife, just said “fuck you, @elonmusk” during the G20 Social panel. This is the “tolerant” left. pic.twitter.com/lphpxHiFgb
— Nikolas Ferreira (@nikolas_dm) November 16, 2024
The incident highlights escalating tensions between the Brazilian government and Musk following recent clashes over social media regulation. Earlier this year, Musk’s platform faced a month-long suspension in Brazil for failing to comply with local regulations and court orders regarding the removal of accounts accused of spreading misinformation.
Musk responded to the incident on his social media platform with a laughing emoji and predicted electoral defeat for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s administration.
Dr Maria Santos, a political analyst at the University of São Paulo, observed: “This exchange reflects deeper tensions between tech companies and governments struggling to establish regulatory frameworks for social media platforms.”
The confrontation comes as Brazil prepares to host G20 leaders on Monday and Tuesday, where digital governance and online content regulation are expected to feature prominently on the agenda.
