Brazil lifts ban on X as Musk complies with court's orders

Brazil's Supreme Court has authorised the return of X (formerly Twitter) following Elon Musk's compliance with court orders, including removing specific user accounts and appointing a legal representative in the country. The court's ruling marks the end of a months long feud between Musk and the court, which had banned the platform in August for failing to adhere to Brazilian regulations.

According to reports, The court had ordered the removal of accounts that were seen as threats to Brazil's democracy, particularly those linked to former President Jair Bolsonaro. Musk’s platform initially resisted, even shutting down its Brazilian office in protest, but later relented, hiring legal representatives in the country to avoid escalating fines.

X faced a daily fine of 5 million reais ($903,000) for non-compliance, with the platform temporarily evading the ban via a software update. The company paid 10.3 million reais in penalties after being found accessible despite the ban. Additionally, Brazil withdrew 18.35 million reais from X and Starlink’s local bank accounts to cover fines imposed by the court.

Musk, a vocal proponent of free speech, had engaged in a public battle with Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, accusing him of censorship. Moraes defended the court's actions, stating that they were aimed at combating online hate speech and falsehoods threatening Brazil’s democratic institutions. The dispute captivated global attention, with Musk’s conservative allies rallying around him as he portrayed the conflict as a battle for free speech.

The majority of the accounts ordered to be taken down were linked to Bolsonaro supporters, many of whom allegedly spread baseless claims about election fraud following Bolsonaro’s loss in the 2022 election. These claims contributed to the violent January 2023 riots in Brasília, fueled by false claims that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had not won the election.

The legal saga highlights the global debate over the balance between free speech and the regulation of harmful online content. While Musk has criticised Brazil’s censorship efforts, his platform has previously complied with similar demands from other governments, including Turkey and India.

Musk had also collaborated with Bolsonaro’s government to bring his satellite-internet service, Starlink, to Brazil, further intertwining his business interests with the political climate.