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Brazil’s Court Delays X’s Return Over Fine Payment Dispute

By  |  October 6, 2024

Brazil’s Supreme Court has delayed its decision on whether to lift the suspension of social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, as confusion surrounds the payment of pending fines. According to Reuters, the court announced on Friday that X’s legal team had not transferred the fines to the appropriate bank, pushing back any decision on whether the platform can resume operations in one of its largest markets.

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    The social media platform, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has been banned in Brazil since late August for failing to comply with court orders on moderating hate speech and neglecting to appoint a legal representative in the country, a requirement under Brazilian law. Despite these setbacks, X’s legal team has been attempting to restore the service, maintaining that the company had followed court orders, including the payment of the fines.

    Per Reuters, X’s lawyers have argued that they paid the fines correctly, but the court maintained that the payment had not been made to the correct account. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes responded by instructing that the fines, which total 28.6 million reais (roughly $5.24 million), be transferred to the appropriate bank account before further action can be taken. This fine payment is the last unresolved issue preventing X from being allowed to operate in Brazil once again.

    Related: Brazil Suspends Elon Musk’s Social Network X Amid Ongoing Legal Dispute

    Earlier on Friday, X filed a formal request to have its services reinstated, claiming that all outstanding fines had been paid. However, Moraes reiterated that the transfer had not been properly completed and that until this issue is resolved, Brazil’s prosecutor general would need to weigh in on the matter before the court could make a final decision.

    X’s legal representatives, in response to Moraes’ ruling, contested the need for the prosecutor general’s input, insisting the fines were paid correctly and arguing that this step was unnecessary for the platform to return to service. The platform had already followed several court directives in recent weeks, including blocking accounts under investigation for hate speech.

    Despite these efforts, Moraes ruled in late September that X still needed to pay the fines before the suspension could be lifted. According to Reuters, the platform’s lawyers claimed on Friday that the company had paid the full amount but maintained that the disagreement over the transfer details has led to the ongoing delay.

    The ban in Brazil has significant implications for X, as the country is one of the platform’s most significant international markets. The tech firm’s future in Brazil now hinges on the resolution of the fine payment issue and the court’s final decision regarding the prosecutor general’s involvement.

    Source: Reuters