Elon Musk’s social media platform X has resumed operations in Brazil after being suspended by the country’s federal supreme court. The suspension came as a result of Musk’s refusal to comply with court orders to remove certain accounts and content that the court deemed harmful to Brazil’s democratic institutions.
“X is proud to return to Brazil,” the company posted via its global government affairs account. “Giving tens of millions of Brazilians access to our indispensable platform was paramount throughout this entire process. We will continue to defend freedom of speech, within the boundaries of the law, everywhere we operate.”
The platform had been suspended on August 31, following a ruling by Minister Alexandre de Moraes of Brazil’s Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF), which was later upheld by other justices. The court had found X in violation of regulations designed to control hate speech, incitements to violence, and political misinformation. Brazil also mandates that tech companies maintain a legal representative within the country, which Musk initially refused to do.
Instead of complying with the court’s requirements, Musk closed X’s office in Brazil and declined to appoint a legal representative. He also publicly criticized Minister de Moraes, comparing him to Voldemort and accusing him of presiding over “the evil tyranny of Moraes.” However, facing investor pressure and the threat of daily fines, X eventually agreed to adhere to Brazil’s laws by late September. Correio Brazilenese reported that investor concerns played a critical role in pushing the company to resolve the issue, as both X and Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink, faced potential freezes on their business accounts in Brazil.
On Tuesday, Brazil’s supreme court confirmed that X had met the necessary conditions to resume operations. “The company complied with the conditions stipulated by the rapporteur, Minister Alexandre de Moraes, and the platform may once again be used by Brazilians,” the court stated.
During X’s absence, competing platforms like Bluesky and Threads saw a notable increase in users in Brazil. According to G1 Globo news, users began regaining access to X on Tuesday after the court’s green light. This resolution concludes a tense standoff, with X once again available to millions of Brazilians, now operating under stricter regulatory compliance.
source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Mary Asantewaa Buabeng
