Brazil’s Supreme Court Delays X’s Return Over Fine Payment Dispute
Brazil’s Supreme Court has postponed its decision on allowing social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to resume operations in the country, citing that the pending fines were paid to the incorrect bank account.
The delay extends X’s suspension, which has been in place since late August due to non-compliance with court orders related to content moderation and legal representation requirements.
Fine Payment Dispute
X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, had filed a new request on Friday, asserting that it had paid all outstanding fines amounting to 28.6 million reais ($5.24 million). However, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes noted that the payment was made to the wrong account. He instructed the company to transfer the fines to the proper bank before the court could consider lifting the suspension.
The payment of fines is the only remaining condition set by the court to authorize X’s return to the Brazilian market. X’s legal representatives, however, argued that the payment was correctly processed and disagreed with the court’s claim. They also requested that the country’s prosecutor general’s opinion should not be required for the platform to resume its services.
Background of X’s Suspension
X has been banned in Brazil since late August after failing to comply with court directives on hate speech moderation and not appointing a legal representative in the country, as mandated by Brazilian law. The social media platform has faced ongoing scrutiny over its content policies, and its suspension impacted millions of Brazilian users.
Following the suspension, X reversed its stance and complied with some court orders, including blocking certain accounts that were under investigation. On September 26, X’s legal team petitioned the court to restore the platform’s operations, claiming that it had resolved all outstanding issues. However, Justice Moraes maintained that X needed to settle the pending fines before the suspension could be lifted.
Next Steps
After the latest payment dispute, the Supreme Court has requested that X’s legal team transfer the amount to the correct bank. Once the issue is resolved, Brazil’s prosecutor general is expected to provide a formal opinion on X’s petition to resume services. The timeline for the platform’s reinstatement remains uncertain.
Brazil is a significant market for X, and its prolonged suspension could have broader implications for the platform’s future operations in the country. As X awaits the court’s final decision, it will continue to remain unavailable to Brazilian users, further impacting its user base and presence in one of its most prominent international markets.
