BRAZILIAN SUPREME COURT APPROVES X’S RETURN TO OPERATION

Wed 09 October 2024:

Brazilian Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexandre de Moraes decided Tuesday to allow the social media platform X to resume operations in the country after it met its legal obligations, including the payment of fines.

The legal battle between billionaire Elon Musk’s company and the Brazilian government officially came to an end after it completed the payment of 28.6 million Brazilian reais ($5.16 million) and fulfilled other legal obligations outlined by the court.

“I decree the end of the suspension and authorize the immediate resumption of the activities of X Brasil Internet Ltda within the national territory. I also instruct Anatel (National Telecommunications Agency) to take the necessary steps to implement this measure, with a report to this Supreme Court within 24 hours,” Moraes said in his ruling.

In addition to the fines, the company had to ban the accounts of nine people under investigation for crimes against Brazilian democracy and appoint a legal representative in Brazil.

X’s services had been suspended in Brazil since Aug. 30 after Moraes ruled that the company had violated the legal statutes imposed on it.

They included a requirement to ban the accounts of users accused of spreading disinformation and hate messages in the context of the election of President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, which was strongly contested by former President Jair Bolsonaro and his loyalists.

Musk had condemned Moraes’s actions through his X account.

“Free speech is the bedrock of democracy, and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes,” he said.

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Online disinformation has become a significant issue in Brazil, particularly around major political events like elections. Social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter have been widely used to spread false information, including during the 2018 presidential election, where disinformation campaigns played a key role in shaping public opinion. Misinformation about COVID-19, vaccines, and political figures has also been rampant.

Far-right political groups and influencers have often been linked to the spread of disinformation, targeting vulnerable populations with misleading or fabricated stories. Brazil’s government has introduced legislation, such as the “Fake News Bill,” to regulate online content and hold platforms accountable.

However, critics argue that such measures could threaten freedom of speech, sparking ongoing debate about how to balance regulation with civil liberties in the fight against online disinformation.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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