The social media platform X resumed operations in Brazil on Wednesday, following a period of inaccessibility that lasted over a month due to a conflict involving its owner, Elon Musk, and a justice from the nation’s highest court.
Internet service providers began to restore access to the platform after Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes granted permission to lift X’s suspension on Tuesday.
“TWITTER IS ALIVE,” remarked Lucas dos Santos Consoli, known as luscas on X, to his audience of more than 7 million followers.
“I am pleased that the platform has chosen to comply with Brazilian laws and has finally made the necessary adjustments. After all, I have been using the app for nearly 15 years, so I cannot deny that I missed it,” the 31-year-old shared with The Associated Press.
De Moraes had ordered the suspension of X on August 30 following a prolonged dispute with Musk regarding issues of free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation. Musk had criticized de Moraes, labeling him as an authoritarian and a censor, despite the fact that his decisions, including the nationwide suspension of X, were consistently upheld by his colleagues.
Musk’s company ultimately acquiesced to all of de Moraes’ stipulations. These included the prohibition of specific accounts on the platform, the settlement of outstanding fines, and the appointment of a legal representative. The absence of the latter had resulted in the suspension.
“This conveys a message globally that even the wealthiest individual on the planet is accountable to local laws and constitutions,” remarked David Nemer, an expert in the anthropology of technology at the University of Virginia. He noted that this could establish a precedent for how other nations, such as Australia, might proceed in their dealings with Musk, indicating that he is not invulnerable.
Brazil, a nation with a significant online presence and a population of 213 million, represents one of X’s largest markets, with user estimates ranging from 20 million to 40 million.
“X is proud to reestablish its presence in Brazil,” the company stated in a message shared on its Global Government Affairs account. “Ensuring that tens of millions of Brazilians have access to our essential platform was a priority throughout this process. We will continue to advocate for freedom of speech, within the confines of the law, in all our operational territories.”
Julia Bahri, an 18-year-old law student, expressed her joy at X’s reinstatement. She shared that the loss of access to the platform had resulted in “one of the most desperate feelings I’ve experienced for a while,” noting that she felt disoriented regarding news updates.
Bahri explained that she utilizes X for self-expression, while Instagram and Snapchat are primarily for sharing photographs.