Brazil, Sept 24, V7N - After a three-week blackout, Elon Musk's social media platform X (formerly Twitter) is taking steps to comply with court orders in Brazil to restore access for its 21 million users. This decision aims to resolve a legal dispute with Brazil's Supreme Court.

Lawyers for X informed Brazil's Supreme Court that the platform has appointed legal representation, which is crucial for reinstatement. The court granted X an additional five days to finalize this representation. X had been offline for most of September, with a brief and accidental return last week that displayed a message indicating issues with loading posts.

Musk's Feud with Brazilian Supreme Court Justice

The order to block certain X accounts originated in May 2020 when Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled that these accounts spread hate speech and targeted democratic institutions. Many of these accounts were linked to supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Musk has publicly criticized de Moraes, referring to him as "Brazil's Voldemort" and "Brazil's Darth Vader," and even created an X account aimed at exposing what he perceives as abuses of power by the justice.

Conditions for Reinstating X in Brazil

To restore service in Brazil, X must finalize its legal representation, pay a fine of around $1 million related to the previous temporary service, and prove that all accounts flagged by the court have been blocked.

These court orders were part of a broader effort to investigate the spread of misinformation and hate speech that threaten Brazil's democratic institutions, including baseless claims regarding the 2022 presidential elections. Initially, X complied with the court's orders but later criticized them as illegal, claiming a year-long wait for an appeal violated due process. Musk suggested that "principles matter more than profit" in this context.

Ongoing Tensions and Implications

The conflict between Musk and de Moraes has garnered wider attention, with Bolsonaro supporting Musk and U.S. legislators introducing measures to penalize foreign officials who infringe upon First Amendment rights. The resolution of this dispute and X's potential reinstatement in Brazil could significantly affect the platform's operations and its relationship with the Brazilian government and judiciary.

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