Brasilia (Business Emerge), October 9: Brazil’s Supreme Court has granted X the approval to resume its services within the nation as of Tuesday. This decision follows the social media platform’s shift in stance, as it began adhering to the court’s mandates that billionaire owner Elon Musk had initially vowed to oppose.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who had been engaged in a prolonged conflict with Musk, authorized the platform to restart its operations in Latin America’s largest market without delay. In his ruling, Moraes confirmed that X had fulfilled all essential criteria to begin functioning again.
Despite previously denouncing the court’s directives as an infringement on free speech and labeling Moraes a “dictator,” Musk has recently altered his approach. Over the past few weeks, his network has begun to comply by blocking accounts identified by the court, appointing a local representative, and settling outstanding fines.
Moraes also mandated that Brazil’s telecommunications agency, Anatel, take immediate action to facilitate X’s return online within 24 hours. However, as of 7 p.m. local time, many users in Brazil still could not access the platform.
In a statement via its Global Affairs account, X expressed its satisfaction in being able to operate again in Brazil, emphasizing its commitment to “defending freedom of speech within the legal frameworks of the nations where it operates.” The conflict in Brazil is part of a broader pattern of confrontations involving Musk, who positions himself as a proponent of free expression, against various governments, including those in Australia and the United Kingdom, which are striving to curb the proliferation of online misinformation.