Elon Musk's X might finally be restored in Brazil
Elon Musk's social media platform, X, has conceded to the demands of the Brazilian judiciary after a prolonged dispute. The platform has now appointed a legal representative in Brazil and settled outstanding fines. Additionally, it has removed certain user accounts as ordered by the court, on grounds of posing a threat to Brazil's democracy. This development marks a significant turn in the ongoing tussle between Musk and the Brazilian authorities.
X yet to provide documentation for Brazilian representative
The Supreme Federal Court of Brazil has stated that X has not yet provided the necessary documentation, confirming the appointment of Rachel de Oliveira Conceicao as its representative in Brazil. The court has given X a five-day deadline to submit these documents. This requirement comes as part of the ongoing legal proceedings between Musk's platform, and the Brazilian judiciary system.
Dispute with Brazilian judge over controversial accounts
The dispute between Musk and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes began in April, when Moraes ordered X to remove over 100 social media accounts. These accounts were accused of questioning the legitimacy of President Jair Bolsonaro's election loss in 2022. In response, Musk had previously labeled Moraes as an "evil tyrant" on his platform, further escalating tensions between the two parties.
X's temporary return and additional fines
X briefly returned to Brazil after a software update, which the company described as an "inadvertent and temporary service restoration to Brazilian users." However, Moraes characterized this as "willful, illegal and persistent," resulting in an additional fine of R$5 million on X. This was in addition to a previous fine of R$18.3 million that had already been imposed on the platform by Brazilian authorities.
Musk's stance on free speech and content removal
Musk has publicly opposed legal orders to remove certain posts and accounts in Brazil and Australia, positioning himself as a defender of free speech. However, he has been less outspoken about removing content in countries like Turkey and India. The population of 200 million people in Brazil makes it a lucrative market for social media companies like X.
