A dispute between the video platform Rumble and Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court spotlights the growing clash between national judicial authority and the refusal of foreign tech companies to comply with court orders outside their home countries.
Video-sharing platform Rumble, a platform that promotes itself as a free speech haven and has gained popularity among far-right commentators and political groups, has filed a lawsuit in a Florida state court seeking to block enforcement of a ruling by Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF). The court order, issued on July 11, 2025, demands that Rumble provide user data and block any account linked to the spread of disinformation. Noncompliance could result in fines of 100,000 reais per day (roughly USD 18,000).
The case exemplifies an increasingly common global dilemma: tech platforms based in one country operating in many others, but resisting legal obligations imposed by the jurisdictions where their services are used. Rather than complying with Brazilian law, Rumble, is turning to the U.S. judicial system in an effort to shield itself from enforcement abroad.
The Brazilian order is part of a broader STF investigation into online disinformation campaigns. In this instance, it targets an account associated with Brazilian commentator Rodrigo Constantino. Rumble, in partnership with Truth Social—the platform affiliated with Donald Trump—argues that the STF order violates U.S. law, was improperly served via email rather than through international legal channels, and involves a user who is a U.S. citizen. The companies also note that the account has been inactive since December 2023.
This isn’t Rumble’s first confrontation with Brazilian authorities. In February 2025, the STF ordered the platform to be blocked nationwide after it ignored prior rulings, including one demanding the removal of fugitive journalist Allan dos Santos’ channel. Rumble also failed to designate a legal representative in Brazil. The company condemned those measures as “unprecedented censorship” and again turned to U.S. courts to resist sanctions.
The latest lawsuit comes just two days after former U.S. President Donald Trump sent a letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, expressing concern about Brazil’s handling of U.S.-based tech firms. Rumble and its allies claim that Justice de Moraes’ orders amount to “gag orders” and are positioning them as violations of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
From Brazil’s legal perspective, however, Rumble is a foreign company operating in its territory and therefore subject to Brazilian law. Authorities argue that failure to comply with national regulations and judicial orders warrants sanctions.
The dispute underscores the mounting challenge facing governments worldwide: how to assert sovereignty and legal accountability over powerful digital platforms that seek to operate globally while remaining bound only by the laws of their home countries.
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