The Brazilian Justice ratified that X will continue to be blocked until he pays a fine of USD 1.8 million – Diario La Página – 2024-09-29 11:06:47

The Supreme Court of Brazil ratified this Friday the blocking of the social network X, owned by Elon Musk, considering that the platform must still comply with the payment of fines imposed and provide additional information before resuming its operations in the country.

The platform, which has nearly 20 million users in Brazil, has been suspended since August 31 by order of Judge Alexandre de Moraes, within the framework of an investigation into the dissemination of fake news and hate crimes on the Internet.

The Supreme Court judge denied the request presented on Thursday by X’s legal representatives, who argued that they had complied with all the court’s demands to lift the suspension.

De Moraes stated that the social network must pay a fine of 10 million reais ($1.8 million) imposed after an alleged maneuver that allowed the platform to temporarily bypass the block. In addition, the platform must decide whether to withdraw a series of appeals presented within the case.

“The immediate return of its activities depends solely on full compliance with Brazilian legislation and absolute observance of the decisions of the Judiciary, in respect for national sovereignty,” De Moraes said in his ruling this Friday.

The magistrate made the decision to suspend the social network due to several contempt on the part of Musk, who refused to eliminate a group of profiles suspected of misinforming and promoting hate on the platform. These profiles would be linked to extreme right-wing bloggers and activists who attack the country’s democratic institutions. According to the Supreme Court, these accounts sought to “institute an environment of total impunity and a ‘lawless land’.”

In addition, the judge added that Rachel de Oliveira Villa Nova, legal representative of

The platform restored its activity in Brazil last Wednesday, thanks to a technical maneuver that allowed it to circumvent the judicial blockade before becoming inactive again the next day, when it complied with a new court order.

The blockade generated a strong confrontation between Musk and the Brazilian magistrate. The owner of X, Tesla and SpaceX called De Moraes a “dictator” and accused him of “violating” the Brazilian Constitution. Despite these accusations, Musk has gradually begun to comply with the demands of the Supreme Federal Court.

In a statement posted on his Global Government Affairs account, The company also announced that it will continue to collaborate with authorities to resolve outstanding issues.

X’s suspension came against a backdrop of growing concern over the use of digital platforms to spread false information and attacks against democracy in Brazil.

Since then, the social network has complied with some of the court’s decisions, such as the appointment of a legal representative in the country, but the Supreme Court considers that it still needs to comply with the payment of fines and other requirements.

For the moment,