Brazil’s Supreme Court has allowed X, the social media platform owned by billionaire Elon Musk, to resume operations after the company reversed its previous defiance of court rulings. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who had been at odds with Musk for months, approved the decision after X fulfilled the necessary conditions, including blocking accounts flagged by the court, appointing a local representative, and settling fines.
The court's decision, effective immediately, tasks Brazil’s telecommunications regulator Anatel with restoring access to the platform within 24 hours, though users were still unable to log in as of Tuesday evening.
The legal standoff began when X resisted compliance with rulings aimed at curbing disinformation and safeguarding democracy in Brazil. Musk had initially labeled the court's orders as censorship and referred to Moraes as a "dictator." However, recent weeks saw a shift in X’s approach, leading to the platform's compliance with the judicial orders it had previously resisted. X, in a statement, expressed pride in returning to Brazil, emphasizing its commitment to defending free speech within the framework of the law.
The dispute centered on X’s suspension in Brazil after Moraes, who spearheaded efforts against disinformation, ruled the platform in violation of local laws. His ruling was later upheld by a panel of Supreme Court justices. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also supported the court’s move, asserting that companies operating in Brazil must follow local laws, regardless of their owners' ideologies. During the suspension, many Brazilian users migrated to alternative platforms like Bluesky and Meta's Threads.
Brazil is a critical market for X, with an estimated 21.5 million users as of April. The platform’s suspension coincided with the final month of Brazil’s municipal elections, though it is now expected to be back online before the mayoral run-offs scheduled for 27 October.
