In a surprising act of capitulation, Elon Musk and his X social media platform are complying with the demands of Brazil’s Supreme Court after weeks of defiance.
The New York Times reports that after a three-week standoff with Brazil’s Supreme Court, Elon Musk’s X has unexpectedly reversed course and complied with the court’s censorship orders. In a court filing, X’s lawyers stated that the company had taken steps to adhere to the court’s demands in hopes that the nationwide block on the site would be lifted.
The move comes as a surprise given Musk’s previous stance on the matter. The billionaire owner of X had initially refused to obey what he called “illegal orders” to censor voices on his platform. Musk’s defiance led to the dismissal of local employees and a refusal to pay fines imposed by the court. In response, the Supreme Court took the drastic step of blocking access to X across Brazil last month. Musk ratcheted up his war of words with the country’s Supreme Court, including stating that the judge should be “thrown out.”
However, X’s lawyers have now revealed that the company has complied with the court’s directives. This includes removing accounts that a Brazilian justice deemed a threat to the country’s democracy, a move that Musk had previously vowed not to take. Additionally, X has paid the required fines and appointed a new formal representative in Brazil, as per the court’s orders.
Brazil’s Supreme Court acknowledged X’s actions in a filing on Saturday but noted that the company had not submitted the necessary paperwork. The court has granted X a five-day window to provide further documentation to support its compliance.
The sudden about-face from Musk and X in Brazil appears to be a significant setback for the world’s wealthiest man, who has built a reputation as a staunch advocate for free speech. Both Musk and his company had been vocal in their criticism of Brazil’s Supreme Court over the past months, even going as far as publicly releasing some of the court’s sealed orders.
This incident highlights the ongoing power struggle between tech giants and national governments, with the latter often maintaining the upper hand. Despite the immense influence and resources wielded by companies like X, they are still subject to the laws and regulations of the countries in which they operate. Brazil’s statusas X’s third most popular market is likely to have contributed to Musk’s decision to cave to the censorship demands.
Read more at the New York Times here.
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