Brazil’s Supreme Court Lifts Ban on Elon Musk’s X

Brazil’s Supreme Court announced on Tuesday, October 9, that it has lifted the ban on Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), after the company complied with court orders and paid millions in fines.

The platform had been blocked for over a month in Brazil, its largest Latin American market, due to a dispute over disinformation.

Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who played a key role in the conflict, authorized the immediate restoration of X’s services in the country.

He also instructed Brazil’s communications regulator to ensure the platform was accessible again within 24 hours for its millions of users.

The standoff between Moraes and Musk began over allegations that X allowed a surge of disinformation during Brazil’s 2022 election campaign.

Tensions escalated in August when Moraes blocked the platform for failing to remove dozens of right-wing accounts accused of spreading false information and for not appointing a new legal representative in Brazil.

Musk had criticized Moraes harshly, labeling him an “evil dictator,” but X ultimately complied with all of the judge’s demands, including paying around $5.2 million in fines.

This dispute was viewed as a significant clash between freedom of expression and corporate responsibility, attracting global attention. With the suspension now lifted, X is operational once again in Brazil.