Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has given the green light for Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, to resume its services in Brazil. The platform was initially shut down on August 30th due to a dispute over free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation. Despite Musk’s criticism of Moraes, X has complied with all the court’s demands, including blocking certain accounts, paying fines, and appointing a legal representative in Brazil.
In a statement, X expressed its commitment to defending freedom of speech within the boundaries of the law. The company mentioned that providing access to millions of Brazilians is crucial, and they are pleased to be back in operation in the country. This move comes after X removed all its staff in Brazil following threats of arrest to its legal representative, Rachel de Oliveira Villa Nova Conceição.
Conceição, who works for BR4Business, a business services firm, was named X’s legal representative again in September. However, concerns have been raised about X only having a legal representative in Brazil, as it may not be enough to effectively engage with the country’s regulatory policies. Other tech giants like Meta and Google have established offices and government relations departments in Brazil to interact with public authorities.
While some Brazilian X users have migrated to other platforms like Meta’s Threads and Bluesky, it remains to be seen how many will return. Bluesky, which now has 10.6 million users in Brazil, has appointed a legal representative in the country. The situation in Brazil is reminiscent of X’s past conflicts with the Indian government and other countries where the platform has faced bans or suspensions.
The decision to reinstate X in Brazil is seen as a pragmatic move driven by economic consequences. Losing access to millions of users in the third-largest market worldwide, along with associated advertising revenue, could have significant financial implications for the platform. Despite the controversy surrounding X’s operations in Brazil, the company’s return signals a willingness to comply with local regulations and continue serving its user base in the country.
