Elon Musk's social network, X, has changed course to adhere to Brazilian Supreme Court mandates, following a tense standoff that briefly led to the site's shutdown in the country.
The dispute began when Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes instigated an inquiry into false election-related information. X was ordered to delete certain accounts viewed as harmful to democracy.
Musk initially challenged these orders, dismissing them as censorship, and proceeded to terminate local employees while neglecting imposed fines. The defiance resulted in the platform being blocked throughout Brazil, with users penalized for evading the ban using VPNs.
Adapting to Legal Rulings
In a turn of events, X agreed to delete the objectionable accounts and pay the outstanding fines. Additionally, the company appointed a new representative in Brazil. Although Musk had previously criticized Brazil's judiciary, this development illustrates how national courts can affect decisions of international tech firms.
The Supreme Court has accepted X's actions while requesting additional documents within five days to complete compliance procedures. In September 2024, Brazil's Supreme Court sustained the ban against the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The decision follows X's failure to designate a new legal representative in Brazil by the stipulated court deadline.
The restriction on X began earlier the same month, stemming from an ongoing dispute between Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and X's owner, Elon Musk. The conflict started in April when Justice Moraes ordered various accounts to be suspended for spreading disinformation, targeting primarily supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro.
With X out of reach, Brazilians have pivoted to other microblogging services such as Bluesky and Threads. Bluesky's user count has skyrocketed to over 9 million, fueled by an addition of 3 million newcomers.
The 50% spike occurred in just over a week following a ban on X, formerly known as Twitter, by a Brazilian court. Bluesky's surge has been dramatic since its started to benefit from X's ban. Last week, the Supreme Court upheld its decision after X briefly became available again.
Navigating Free Speech and Legal Expectations
Musk's decision to follow the court's demands prompts discussions about the tension between advocating free speech and adhering to legal requirements. Such a dramatic u-turn could serve as a reference point for how government and social media entities might deal with issues surrounding online speech and regulation going forward.
X has expressed an interest in continuing discussions with Brazilian authorities to fully reinstate its platform services in the area. Neither Musk nor the X Global Government Affairs account has issued comments on the resolution, despite earlier criticisms of Justice Moraes' decrees. How the situation in Brazil unfolds might set an example for handling similar conflicts globally.
