Photo source: Agenzia Nova
Brazil has lifted its ban on X, following Elon Musk’s compliance with directives from the country’s federal supreme court minister, Alexandre de Moraes.
“X is proud to return to Brazil,” the company stated in a message on 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 suspension of X occurred on August 31, after an order issued by de Moraes that was subsequently supported by a panel of justices.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Brazil’s supreme court confirmed that “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 ban was enforced because Musk, who owns and leads X as its technology chief, ignored requests from Brazil’s judiciary to ban certain user accounts or remove content deemed in violation of federal laws.
Brazil’s stringent internet regulations aim to curb the dissemination of hate speech, incitements to violence, and political misinformation that could undermine democratic institutions online. Additionally, the country mandates that tech companies appoint a legal representative within its borders.
Initially, Musk responded to these demands by shutting down X’s headquarters in Brazil and delaying the appointment of a legal representative. He spent months criticising de Moraes, labelling him a “fake” judge and denouncing “the evil tyranny of Moraes.”
According to reports, investors in Musk’s ventures pressured X to comply with Brazilian laws by late September due to the looming threat of daily fines.
At a particular time, Brazilian authorities even moved to freeze X’s business accounts in the country, as well as those belonging to SpaceX-owned Starlink, which provides satellite internet services in the country.