Elon Musk’s social network, X, is set to return online in Brazil after fulfilling one last condition—a fine payment—according to a ruling by Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The platform was suspended nationwide in late August, a decision upheld by a panel of judges on September 2. Earlier this month, X informed Brazil’s Supreme Court that it has complied with previous orders, which it had initially defied.
As reported by Brazil’s G1 Globo, X must now pay a new fine of 10 million reals (approximately $2 million) for two days of non-compliance. Additionally, X’s legal representative in Brazil, Rachel de Oliveira, faces a fine of 300,000 reals.
The case traces back to April when de Moraes launched an investigation into Musk and X for alleged obstruction of justice. Musk publicly opposed court orders to take down specific accounts in Brazil, labeling the court’s actions as “censorship” and attacking de Moraes online.
In mid-August, Musk closed X’s offices in Brazil, leaving the company without a required legal representative. By August 28, de Moraes threatened further penalties if X did not comply with takedown requests involving accounts accused of plotting to dox federal agents.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court froze the business assets of Musk’s companies, including X and Starlink, citing their interlinked operations. Musk threatened reciprocal actions against Brazilian government assets unless his companies’ properties were returned.
Musk, who claims to champion free speech, has faced criticism for X’s compliance with government takedown requests in Turkey and India. In 2023, the platform approved over 80% of such requests compared to the previous year, according to Rest of World.
X is also contending with rising competition in Brazil from platforms like Meta-owned Threads and Bluesky, which have gained users during its suspension. Meanwhile, Starlink faces competition from eSpace, a French-American firm authorized to offer satellite services in Brazil.
Legal expert Lukas Darien noted that the Supreme Court’s actions signal to tech companies that the law will be enforced uniformly, regardless of their influence.
Musk and X representatives have yet to comment, but X Global Government Affairs stated, “X is committed to protecting free speech within the law and respects the sovereignty of the countries in which we operate,” emphasizing the importance of access to X for a thriving democracy.
