Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, could soon resume operations in Brazil after months of legal conflict. Brazil's Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes ruled that the Elon Musk-owned company may "immediately return to its activities in national territory" if it agrees to pay an additional 10 million reais (approximately $1.9 million).
This new fine comes on top of the 18.3 million reais (about $3.4 million) that X was already fined. Brazil had previously frozen the accounts of both X and Musk’s satellite internet company Starlink to enforce the fine. To move forward, Judge Moraes also stated that Starlink must drop its appeal against these payments.
Legal Battle Over Election Misinformation
The platform has been embroiled in a legal struggle with the Brazilian Supreme Court for much of 2023. Judge Moraes had ordered certain accounts to be blocked for allegedly spreading election misinformation. Musk publicly criticized Moraes, stating that he "should resign or be impeached." Following these tensions, X ceased operations in Brazil and was banned from the country at the end of August.
This ban opened the door for competing social media services, like Bluesky, to gain traction in Brazil, as users sought alternatives.
X's Compliance and Return to Brazil
Recently, X signaled a shift in strategy by agreeing to comply with the court’s demands. The company has begun to block the targeted accounts, pay fines, and appoint a legal representative in Brazil. Despite these efforts, Moraes imposed the additional fine after X allegedly circumvented the ban earlier in September, when its services unexpectedly resumed in the country. The resumption was reportedly due to X switching to Cloudflare infrastructure, which allowed users to access the platform.
In a post on its Global Government Affairs account, X appeared to acknowledge the situation, stating that the company "recognizes and respects the sovereignty of the countries in which we operate." The statement also emphasized that providing access to Brazilian users "is essential to a thriving democracy."
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