Brazil’s Supreme Court lifts ban on X; platform back in Brazil after fulfilling legal demands
Brazil’s Supreme Court has lifted the ban on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, after it complied with court demands. Justice Alexandre de Moraes authorized the “immediate return” of X’s operations in the country, following the platform’s payment of substantial fines and its action to block accounts accused of spreading misinformation.
According to a court statement, X has paid 28 million reais ($5.1 million; £3.8 million) in fines and agreed to appoint a local representative, a requirement under Brazilian law. Moraes had previously blocked access to the platform, owned by Elon Musk, after it refused to ban several accounts accused of spreading false information about the 2022 Brazilian Presidential election.
Brazil’s telecom regulator, Anatel, has been instructed to ensure that service for over 20 million users is restored within 24 hours.
After months of defying the court’s orders, X had faced further complications in Brazil when Musk fired the company’s staff there and closed its local office in late August. “The decision to close X offices in Brazil was difficult,” Musk said at the time. Musk, who also runs Tesla and SpaceX, had criticized Moraes’ decision to ban certain accounts, calling it an abuse of power and a violation of free speech.
In response, Moraes ordered a nationwide block of X. The move led many users to switch to alternative platforms like Bluesky, and VPN (Virtual Proxy Network) usage spiked in Brazil.
However, in September, X appeared to reverse course, complying with the court’s orders. On Tuesday, the platform announced its return to Brazil. “We are proud to return to Brazil,” the company’s government affairs team said in a statement. “Giving tens of millions of Brazilians access to our indispensable platform was paramount throughout this entire process.”
Brazil is one of X’s largest global markets, with an estimated 22 million users, making it the company’s biggest market in Latin America.
