Elon Musk’s social media platform X has reportedly complied with Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes’ orders and requested reinstatement of its service in the country, according to sources familiar with the matter. This development marks a significant shift in the high-profile standoff between the world’s richest man and the Brazilian judiciary.
Two sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed Thursday that X has submitted a petition to Brazilian authorities outlining its compliance with previous court orders. The platform has reportedly blocked certain accounts, named an official legal representative in Brazil, and paid fines imposed for earlier non-compliance.
X was blocked in Brazil on August 30, cutting off access to over 20 million users in one of the platform’s largest markets. The shutdown followed months of tension between Musk and de Moraes over issues of free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation.
In a surprising move, X’s new legal representative is reportedly Rachel de Oliveira Villa Nova Conceição, the same person who held the position before X closed its Brazil office. Her appointment comes with a clause in the representation agreement aimed at protecting her from potential legal consequences of X’s actions.
The conflict between X and the Brazilian judiciary has raised significant questions about the limits of free speech and the power of social media platforms in democratic societies. Unlike the United States, Brazil has more restrictions on speech, with judges able to order the removal of content deemed harmful or illegal.
Justice de Moraes has been at the center of investigations into “digital militias” accused of spreading misinformation and threats against Supreme Court justices. His orders to block certain accounts, many belonging to supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, led to the clash with Musk, who accused the judge of suppressing free speech.
The standoff escalated when Musk suggested users could bypass the shutdown using VPNs, prompting de Moraes to impose hefty fines on anyone attempting to circumvent the ban.
X’s decision to comply with the court orders may have been influenced by the mass migration of Brazilian users to rival platforms like BlueSky and Threads during the shutdown. Bruna Santos, a lawyer and global campaigns manager at Digital Action, suggested that the move indicates X’s “state of good-faith cooperation with Brazilian authorities.”
Associated Press report
