Brazil May Lift Ban On Elon Musk's Social Media Platform X

According to Cointelegraph, Brazilian authorities may soon lift the ban on Elon Musk’s social media platform X after the company paid 28.6 million Brazilian reais (approximately $5.5 million) in fines. On October 7, X fulfilled the latest requirement to return online, following a suspension by Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court in late August for failing to comply with orders related to an investigation into the spread of misinformation in the country. The final payment was confirmed after a series of unusual events, including a mistaken deposit of the funds into the wrong bank account on October 4. The proceeds, paid by Musk’s satellite company Starlink, were eventually transferred to the correct account. The amount included the original fine for X’s lack of cooperation in court investigations and an additional 10 million Brazilian reais (about $1.9 million) for not complying with the suspension after a shift to Cloudflare’s servers unintentionally allowed some users to access the platform in September. In recent days, X also appointed a new legal representative in Brazil, as required by local regulations, and blocked the accounts of users accused of spreading fake news and misinformation about Brazil’s electoral processes and justice system. The platform’s return to users in the country now rests with Brazil’s Attorney General, who will recommend whether or not the suspension of X in Brazil should be lifted. If approved, Justice Alexandre de Moraes will review the case and issue his decision. Justice Moraes has been investigating X since 2023 for allegedly promoting and enabling the spread of misinformation in Brazil. Musk is also under investigation for charges including obstruction of justice, involvement in a criminal organization, and incitement to crime. The billionaire has publicly criticized Moraes’ actions, labeling them politically motivated censorship and accusing the judge of behaving like a “dictator” by targeting political opponents through what he claims are unlawful demands for content moderation.