Ban on X Lifted In Brazil After Elon Musk Meets Court Requirements (Image:X/elonmusk)
Elon Musk’s X platform is back in Brazil after a 40-day ban that the country’s Supreme Court lifted the suspension on Tuesday allowing X to resume its services after the company complied with court orders. The ban was imposed on August 30 due to a long-standing dispute between Musk and Justice Alexandre de Moraes over free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation. However, with X agreeing to follow Brazilian laws and respect the judiciary’s decisions the court gave the green light for its return in Brazil.
BREAKING: 𝕏 is set to return to Brazil after paying a fine of around $5 million imposed by the Supreme Court.
The platform has over 22 million users in Brazil and was banned on August 31st. pic.twitter.com/NBafmBML2S
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) October 8, 2024
The ban was a result of X’s non-compliance with court orders which led to a freeze on its bank accounts and those of its satellite internet provider, Starlink. However, after paying $5 million in fines the accounts were regained to access.
In a statement posted on X Musk expressed pride in returning to Brazil that he said he will always defend freedom of speech within legal boundaries. The company also highlighted the importance of providing access to its platform for tens of millions of Brazilians in the country.
Also, read| Brazil’s Supreme Court Orders X To Pay $5 Million Fine To Resume Service
In September 2024, Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled that social media platform X owned by Elon Musk must pay over $5 million in pending fines before resuming services in the country. The fines include a new penalty for briefly lifting the ban on X last week which allows some Brazilian users to access the platform. Judge Alexandre de Moraes stated that X and its Brazilian legal representative must pay 18.3 million reais ($3.4 million) in previously ordered fines. Additionally, the court imposed a new fine of 10 million reais ($1.8 million) related to the temporary lifting of the ban.
This ban was linked to the tussle between billionaire Elon Musk and Justice de Moraes. Supreme Court suspended a myriad number of X accounts in April due to policy violations and the spread of disinformation. The court has eliminated the X accounts that belonged to the Jair Bolsonaro supporters (Brazilian politician and retired military officer who served as the 38th President from 2019 to 2023 and is also known for his right-wing nationalist politics). Later, the X platform blocked the accounts since the court imposed a whopping fine as the app didn’t comply with the proposed law and order.
Also, read| Suspension Of X In Brazil; Musk Vows To Publish The Judge’s “Long List Of Crimes”
