Emmanuel OchayiBrazil’s Supreme Court has granted social media platform X, owned by Elon Musk, permission to resume its services in the country after the company complied with court rulings it had previously resisted.
Tension Between X and Brazil’s Judiciary
For months, X and the Brazilian judiciary were at odds, with the platform refusing to follow orders. This conflict reached a turning point when X reversed its earlier stance, fulfilling the legal requirements set by the court. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who had been in a public dispute with Musk, confirmed that X had met all the conditions necessary to resume its operations in Brazil.
Join our WhatsApp Channel“X has fulfilled all the conditions required to resume its activities,” Moraes declared in his ruling, marking the end of the standoff.
Elon Musk initially condemned the court’s demands as an attack on free speech, calling them “censorship.” He even referred to Justice Moraes as a “dictator.” However, over the last few weeks, Musk shifted his position, and X began to comply with the court’s directives, including blocking flagged accounts, appointing a legal representative in Brazil, and paying overdue fines.
Court Orders X Reinstated in Brazil
In his ruling, Justice Moraes instructed Brazil’s telecommunications regulator, Anatel, to ensure that X would be back online within 24 hours. Despite the ruling, users in Brazil still could not access the platform by 7 p.m. local time on Tuesday, though the expectation was that the platform would be operational shortly.
X, via its Global Affairs account, expressed excitement about returning to the Brazilian market. “We are proud to be back in Brazil and will continue to defend freedom of speech, within the boundaries of the law,” the company said.
Brazil Welcomes X’s Compliance
Brazil’s Minister of Communications, Juscelino Filho, praised the platform’s decision to comply with local laws. He saw it as a victory for the country. “We showed the world that our laws should be respected, no matter who you are,” Filho said in a statement.
READ ALSO: Brazil Fines Elon Musk’s X, Starlink $920,000 For Brief Restoration Of Platform Access Despite Ban
This dispute between X and Brazil’s authorities is part of a wider pattern of conflicts between Musk, who advocates for minimal restrictions on free speech, and governments across the world. Similar disagreements have emerged in places like Australia and the United Kingdom, where regulators are attempting to control the spread of online misinformation.
Brazil’s Battle with Disinformation
The saga in Brazil started when Justice Moraes, known for his efforts to combat disinformation and protect democracy, suspended X for ignoring court orders. A five-member panel of the Supreme Court supported his decision, including the court’s chief justice. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also backed the suspension, arguing that companies operating in Brazil must respect its laws.
“The world doesn’t have to put up with Musk’s far-right ideology just because he’s rich,” Lula said, adding that businesses must follow Brazilian regulations.
At first, X refused to comply, calling the rulings “illegal.” However, the court indicated that it would reconsider its suspension if the platform changed its approach. Brazil is an important market for X, with around 21.5 million users, making it the platform’s sixth-largest market globally. During the suspension, many users migrated to alternatives like Bluesky and Meta’s Threads.
X’s Road to Compliance
X’s defiance led to its mid-August decision to close its offices in Brazil and halt legal representation there, triggering the platform’s suspension. The court also targeted another Musk-owned company, freezing Starlink’s accounts to cover fines issued against X.
By late September, X took significant steps to comply with the court. It appointed Rachel de Oliveira Conceição as its new legal representative in Brazil and began blocking the accounts identified by the court. Earlier this month, X paid the fines it had previously ignored, which paved the way for its reinstatement.
Although the platform is now poised to resume operations, its absence during the last month of Brazil’s municipal elections—especially in cities like São Paulo—was conspicuous. The next round of elections is scheduled for October 27.
With the court’s decision now in place, X is expected to become fully operational again in Brazil, resuming its role in one of its most important global markets.
Emmanuel Ochayi is a journalist. He is a graduate of the University of Lagos, School of first choice and the nations pride. Emmanuel is keen on exploring writing angles in different areas, including Business, climate change, politics, Education, and others.
