Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has informed the Brazilian Supreme Court that it has complied with the judicial orders aimed at curbing the spread of misinformation. According to a document obtained by Reuters, X has requested the court to revoke the ban imposed in August, which restricted Brazilians’ access to the platform.
The 53-year-old tech billionaire had opposed these measures for over five months, labeling them as “censorship” during a dispute with a Supreme Court judge in Brazil—one of X’s largest and most valued markets.
Although a decision on X’s reinstatement is still pending, sources close to Musk in Brazil are optimistic that the service could be reinstated within days. Late on Thursday, X emphasized that access to the platform in Brazil “is essential for a thriving democracy” and that it respects the sovereignty of the countries in which it operates.
“We will continue to defend freedom of expression and due process of law through legal processes,” the company’s global affairs team added in a post on the platform.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has led efforts against perceived threats to democracy and the political use of disinformation, banned the platform (formerly known as Twitter) after Musk shut down X’s offices in Brazil. The judicial battle also affected Musk’s satellite internet provider, Starlink, whose accounts de Moraes froze, prompting Musk to label him a “dictator.”
The Brazil dispute is one of several recent confrontations between Musk, who sees himself as a champion of free speech, and various governments, including those of Australia and the United Kingdom, which are attempting to curb online misinformation.
Brazil is X’s sixth-largest market globally, with approximately 21.5 million users. “Musk was afraid to lose market share, he also realized that this was a nonsense battle and that Brazilians were not turning their backs on Justice Alexandre de Moraes as he had expected,” said Thiago de Aragao, a senior researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
In an attempt to circumvent Moraes’ ban, X used cloud services offered by third parties, allowing Brazilians to access its platform despite the prohibition. However, this attempt was short-lived, especially after Moraes threatened to impose heavy fines on the company.
Late last week, X moved in a more conciliatory direction by appointing a local legal representative, as Moraes had demanded. In the document sent to the Brazilian Supreme Court, X stated it had blocked nine accounts under investigation in a hate speech and misinformation probe.
“His backtracking is very positive. Whether one agrees with it or not, the law is to be respected not defied,” Rubens Barbosa, a former Brazilian ambassador to the United States, told Reuters.
According to two people familiar with Musk’s thinking, the billionaire plans to take a very different approach once X is back in Brazil. While he may remain combative, he is expected to respect the law and fight legal battles in court. “From now on, he will fight in the courts,” one of the sources said.
