In a surprising act of capitulation, Elon Musk and his X social media platform have complied with the demands of Brazil's Supreme Court after weeks of defiance.
of The New York Times Reports After a three-week standoff with Brazil's Supreme Court, Elon Musk's X made an unexpected about-face and complied with the court's censorship order. In court filings, X's lawyers said the company had taken steps to comply with the court's demands in the hopes that the site would be unblocked nationwide.
The move is surprising given Musk's previous stance on the matter. X's billionaire owner initially refused to censor what he called “illegal orders” to censor speech on the platform. Musk's defiance led to the firing of local employees and a refusal to pay court-imposed fines. In response, the Supreme Court took heavy-handed action last month by blocking access to X across Brazil. Musk has escalated his spat with the Supreme Court, saying the judges “should be removed.”
However, X's lawyers said the company had complied with the court's instructions, including removing accounts that a Brazilian judge deemed a threat to the country's democracy — a step Musk had previously said he would not take. Additionally, X has complied with the court's orders, paid the required fines, and appointed a new official representative in Brazil.
Brazil's Supreme Court ruled in favor of X in a filing on Saturday, but noted that the company had not submitted the necessary documents. The court gave X five days to submit further documentation to prove it was in compliance.
Musk and Co. X's sudden change of stance in Brazil appears to be a major setback for the world's richest man, who has built a reputation as a staunch defender of free speech. Musk and Co. X have been vocal critics of Brazil's Supreme Court over the past few months, even going so far as to make public some of the court's private orders.
The case highlights the ongoing power struggle between tech giants and national governments, with the latter often holding the upper hand. Companies like X have enormous influence and resources, but they are still subject to the laws and regulations of the countries they operate in. Brazil being X's third most popular market likely played a role in Musk's decision to cave in to the censorship demands.
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