Elon Musk Blinks: X Restored in Brazil After Showdown with Supreme Court Justice

Elon Musk’s social media platform X has relented to orders from Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, leading to the platform’s reestablishment in the country, The Associated Press reports.

After a months-long standoff over free speech and misinformation, X has complied with de Moraes’ demands, including blocking certain accounts, appointing a legal representative, and paying fines. This follows the platform’s complete shutdown in Brazil on August 30th, a move that affected over 20 million users in the country.

De Moraes, a staunch defender of online safety and combating misinformation, had been locked in a tense battle with Musk over his policies on content moderation. Musk, known for his commitment to free speech absolutism, had labeled de Moraes an “enemy of free speech” and even accused him of criminal activity. Despite these attacks, de Moraes’ rulings have been consistently upheld by other Brazilian judges.

The platform’s decision to comply comes after X’s new representative, Rachel de Oliveira Villa Nova Conceição, was threatened with arrest if the company didn’t comply. This move signifies a shift in strategy from X, who previously declared they would not comply with de Moraes’ orders.

The company’s public filing with the Sao Paulo commercial registry reveals a clause that requires any action by X resulting in obligations for the representative to be pre-authorized by the company in writing. This suggests an effort to shield the representative from potential legal repercussions.

While the immediate threat of the ban has been lifted, the future of X in Brazil remains unclear.

Experts like Bruna Santos, a lawyer and global campaigns manager at Digital Action, argue that the platform’s appointment of a representative indicates a move towards “good-faith cooperation” with Brazilian authorities. However, Santos also points out that the mass migration of users to rival platforms like BlueSky and Threads might have played a role in X’s decision to back down.