X seeks to lift ban in Brazil after months-long standoff over free speech and misinformation
Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has informed the Brazilian Supreme Court that it has complied with orders to curb the spread of misinformation, Reuters reported.
The company has requested the court to revoke the platform’s ban, which has blocked access for Brazilian users since August.
Musk had previously resisted the court’s measures for over five months, calling them “censorship” and engaging in a public feud with Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who led the effort to crack down on disinformation.
However, X has now taken steps to align with the court’s requirements, including the blocking of nine accounts under investigation for hate speech and misinformation.
X’s legal team emphasized that the platform respects the sovereignty of countries it operates in and reiterated its commitment to defending freedom of expression through legal avenues.
The ban on X in Brazil had affected not only the social media platform but also Starlink, another Musk-controlled business.
Sources close to Musk are optimistic that X could be reinstated in Brazil within days, as the platform was a major market with 21.5 million users.
The judicial clash marks one of several global tensions between Musk, who positions himself as a defender of free speech, and governments working to combat the spread of misinformation.