Brazil Court: X Must Pay Fines and Follow Laws to Resume Operations

Brazil’s Supreme Court rejected X’s request to resume operations, conditioning the platform’s return on payment of fines for disobeying judicial orders. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes maintained the ban on X in Brazil.

De Moraes stated that X’s return depends on Starlink withdrawing its appeals against fund transfers to federal accounts.

Both X and Starlink, a satellite internet company, are owned by Elon Musk. The justice reaffirmed that X must pay 10 million reais (about $1.85 million) for its attempt to resume operations.

Additionally, the court fined X’s legal representative, Rachel de Oliveira Villa Nova Conceição, 300,000 reais ($55,000).

De Moraes emphasized that X’s return hinges on full compliance with Brazilian law and judicial decisions.

The justice acknowledged that X had complied with some orders, such as blocking specific profiles. However, he highlighted the platform’s failure to pay imposed fines. Villa Nova faced fines for repeatedly failing to remove certain profiles.

De Moraes had previously ordered X to remove profiles of Bolsonaro supporters in Brazil. He also fined the company for not having a responsible person in Brazilian territory. X’s lawyers submitted requested documents and asked for the platform’s unblocking.

They also formalized Villa Nova as X’s representative in Brazil. This change in X’s stance occurred after Starlink began experiencing operational issues due to the Supreme Court’s decision to block its accounts.

Key Conclusions

• Brazil’s Supreme Court asserts regulatory control over foreign tech companies, enforcing local laws despite resistance from powerful corporations.
• The court perceives X’s non-compliance as a threat to democracy, framing it as an attack on Brazil’s legal system and efforts to combat disinformation.
• The court’s actions ignite debate on free speech versus legal compliance, with critics arguing the measures infringe on free expression.

Brazil Court: X Must Pay Fines and Follow Laws to Resume Operations