X ban lifted in Brazil after Elon Musk’s platform pays hefty fine

Social media platform X (formally Twitter) is back online in Brazil after the country’s Supreme Court said it is lifting a ban on the social media platform.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes said he authorised the “immediate return” of X’s activities in the country after it paid hefty fines and blocked accounts accused of spreading misinformation.

“I authorise the immediate return of the activities” of the social platform, Judge Alexandre de Moraes said in his ruling, after X settled millions of dollars in fines for failing to comply with a series of court orders, AFP reported.

Fines, local representative appointment

According to the court, X has paid fines totalling R$28 million (Brazillian reais), which is approximately $5.2 million (US dollars). It also and agreed to appoint a local representative, as required by Brazilian law.

Elon Musk’s X will recuperate its 22 million users in Brazil after the lifting of the month-long ban on Tuesday.

In addition to the company’s $5.2 million settlement, de Moraes asserted that X  had complied with Moraes’ conditions to end its suspension.

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Standoff

Moraes has for months been embroiled in a standoff with Musk over a flood of online disinformation related to Brazil’s 2022 election campaign.

On August 31, the tensions came to a head when Moraes blocked X for failing to deactivate the accounts of dozens of supporters of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro and to name a new legal representative in Brazil.  

“Freedom of expression doesn’t mean freedom of aggression,” Moraes has said. “It doesn’t mean the freedom to defend tyranny.”

X users in Brazil

The row, which pitted freedom of expression against corporate responsibility, was closely watched worldwide.

A furious Musk lashed out at Moraes by calling him an “evil dictator” and dubbing him “Voldemort” after the villain from the “Harry Potter” series.

With more than one mobile phone per inhabitant, Brazilians are among the most connected people in the world.

X had 22 million users in the country before it was blocked.

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