Elon Musk has chosen to comply with legal orders in Brazil, putting an end to a prolonged conflict that involved significant fines and the suspension of his social media platform, X, in the country. The dispute, which had lasted for months, centered around the platform’s refusal to adhere to Brazilian court orders regarding the suspension of certain accounts involved in spreading hate speech and misinformation.
Musk had previously vowed to defy the orders issued by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is leading a judicial initiative to combat fake news and hate speech in Brazil. Despite his public stance against the orders, which he claimed amounted to censorship, Musk’s company took action on Friday by appointing a legal representative in Brazil, as required by the Supreme Court. This move was aimed at lifting the ban on X, which had been in effect since August 30.
According to sources familiar with the case, X informed the court that it had already complied with previous orders to block specific accounts accused of disseminating harmful content. Despite initial resistance, the company has now started following the court’s instructions.
On Saturday, Justice Moraes requested additional information regarding the company’s legal representation, with a five-day deadline for X to provide further details. The court’s secretary was given 48 hours to verify the company’s compliance with previous rulings, after which a decision on reinstating the platform in Brazil will be made.
The legal firm representing X confirmed in a statement that they had submitted the necessary documentation to the court. Rachel de Oliveira Villa Nova Conceição has been named as the platform’s official legal representative in Brazil.
Despite efforts by X to meet the legal requirements, Moraes gave the company a strict 24-hour deadline earlier in the week to prove that lawyers had been appointed, following a prior notification. The company narrowly met this deadline late Friday.
In the months leading up to this, Musk had strongly criticized the Brazilian judiciary, accusing them of overreach and censorship. However, the platform, which had unexpectedly become accessible in Brazil earlier in the week due to a technical change in how it directed traffic, was ordered to remain blocked by Sept. 19 or face fines of 5 million reais ($907,000) per day. X attributed the temporary restoration of service to a network provider change, which they claimed was an accidental outcome.
Brazil’s telecommunications agency expressed concern about X’s actions, labeling them as an intentional attempt to bypass court orders. The agency warned that any future attempts to circumvent the block would be met with appropriate measures.
As the situation escalated, the Federal Police and telecommunications regulators were ordered to submit reports within 48 hours on the platform’s accessibility, allowing the court to calculate fines if necessary.
In addition to the legal battle, Brazil recently withdrew 18.35 million reais from X and Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet company, to cover fines imposed by the Supreme Court.
