International / Reactivation of Platform X in Brazil: The Supreme Court authorizes return under conditions
The Supreme Court of Brazil lifted the ban on the platform X this Tuesday, allowing its reactivation after more than a month of suspension. This decision follows the favorable opinion issued by the Attorney General, stating that there was no legal obstacle preventing the platform’s restoration, which is used by over 22 million people in Brazil.
The suspension in August was initially due to X’s failure to comply with several court rulings, particularly regarding the spread of false information on the platform. Judge Alexandre de Moraes demanded corrective measures before allowing the platform to resume its operations. In his decision, he emphasized that the platform must strictly adhere to Brazilian law and comply with judicial orders in respect of the country’s sovereignty.
To meet these requirements, Platform X took several actions, including blocking accounts accused of misinformation, appointing a legal representative in Brazil, and paying $5 million in fines. Additionally, the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) was instructed to ensure the platform’s service restoration across the entire country.
Despite this reactivation, technical difficulties might delay the full restoration of the platform, as Brazil has over 20,000 internet service providers. The complexity of these fixed and mobile networks could extend the process.
This lifting of the suspension marks another chapter in the ongoing conflict between Judge Alexandre de Moraes and Elon Musk, the owner of X. It highlights the tensions between respecting national laws and how multinational tech platforms are managed, a significant issue for Brazil’s digital sovereignty.
