After nearly a month of being blocked in Brazil, Elon Musk's social media platform X has begun complying with local regulations.
Compliance with Local Laws
According to local media reports, X started suspending accounts accused of spreading misinformation on Sept. 18, as ordered by Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Lawyers for the platform announced the appointment of a new legal representative in the country. According to Brazilian law, social media platforms operating in the country must have a legal representative. Accounts linked to digital influencer Allan dos Santos and journalist Paulo Figueiredo were suspended. Nine additional accounts have been shut down as part of the decision.
Elon Musk's Reaction
Elon Musk has publicly denounced Moraes’ actions as politically motivated censorship, accusing the judge of acting as a 'dictator' by targeting political opponents through what Musk claims are illegal demands for content moderation. Despite these accusations, a Brazilian Supreme Court justices panel upheld Moraes’ decision, keeping X suspended and imposing fines.
Technical Incident
On Sept. 17, a technical incident temporarily restored access to X in Brazil. This occurred due to a shift to Cloudflare’s servers, inadvertently allowing users to access the platform. A spokesperson for X's Global Government Affairs confirmed that the access was temporary.
The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, supports the court’s efforts to combat misinformation, especially after political unrest allegedly sparked by fake news. Users in the country who access X through virtual private networks (VPNs) may be fined $9,000 daily.
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