Brazilian users began to resume access to X on Tuesday night, 8, hours after the Minister of the Federal Supreme Court Alexandre de Moraes determine the return of the social network Elon Musk in the air. The blockade had been in effect since the end of August and ended after the company settled its legal disputes.
“All the necessary requirements for the immediate return of the activities of X Brasil Internet LTDA. in national territory were documented and certified by the Judiciary Secretariat”, wrote the judge.
Moraes ordered the National Telecommunications Agency to adopt “the necessary measures to implement the measure, informing this Supreme Court within 24 hours”.
The return of the network to the air, however, is not automatic. It is up to Anatel to contact the more than twenty thousand internet operators in Brazil and ask them to unblock it.
Therefore, like what happened after the blocking order, the social network did not work again at the same time for all users. The resumption of service will be gradual and will vary according to regions and operators.
Hours before Moraes’ decision, the Attorney General’s Office spoke out in favor of restoring access. “The previously verified non-submissions have ceased”, stated the head of the body, Paulo Gonet. “PGR sees no reason to prevent the company from returning to its activities.”
Moraes’ determination could have come out sooner, but X deposited into an incorrect account the value of fines imposed by the STF. The minister then ordered the payment to be regularized.
On Monday the 7th, Caixa Econômica Federal transferred the amount to the correct account, at Banco do Brasil.
OX paid off 28.6 million reais in debts. The amount includes 18.3 million reais for non-compliance with STF decisions ordering the suspension of profiles and 10 million for the improper reestablishment of access to the network in September.
The company also paid a fine of 300 thousand reais directed to Raquel de Oliveira Villa Nova Conceição, legal representative in Brazil.
In a message published this Tuesday, X said it will continue to defend freedom of expression, “within the limits of the law, everywhere it operates”.
“Providing tens of millions of Brazilians with access to our indispensable platform was a priority throughout this process”, published an official profile of the platform.
Moraes ordered the blockade on August 30, after X closed its office in Brazil and refused to maintain a legal representative capable of responding to operations in the country. Subsequently, the First Panel of the STF unanimously endorsed the decision.
Before asking for access, X informed the Court that he had the accounts listed by Moraes were removed from the air. Among the profiles affected are that of Bolsonarist Allan dos Santos, that of the former presenter of Young Pan Paulo Figueiredo and that of influencer Bruno Aiu, Monark.
Read Moraes’ decision in full:
