After weeks of defying a Brazilian Supreme Court order to censor certain accounts, X (formerly Twitter) has decided to comply with the Brazilian government’s demands. The court had ordered X to suppress accounts spreading misinformation and hate speech related to Brazil’s 2022 election. Initially, X refused, citing Brazilian law and its free speech stance, leading to a standoff. Brazil then banned the platform, cutting off access to 20 million users.
Following financial losses and pressure, X’s lawyers informed Brazilian authorities last week that the platform would comply with the court’s orders. X agreed to block the targeted accounts and name a new official representative in the country. This move could lift the ban on X in Brazil by the end of the week. However, X will still face millions in fines, including penalties for offering access to the app via VPN.
Musk had used the Brazilian situation to advocate for free speech, criticizing the government’s actions as unjust. However, this decision follows similar instances where X complied with censorship demands in countries like Turkey, India, and Germany, despite Musk’s public defense of free speech.
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