Elon Musk's X blinks in standoff with Brazil

Right-wing protests in Brazil against X ban

Brazil is "one of X’s most important international markets"

(Image credit: Nelson Almeida / AFP via Getty Images)

published 23 September 2024

What happened

Brazil could allow X to resume operations this week after the social media platform owned by Elon Musk acceded to demands from Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes. Over the last few days, X agreed to block a handful of sites Moraes said were spreading misinformation and undermining Brazilian democracy, reappoint a representative in the country and pay accrued fines.

The "abrupt about-face" from X "appeared to be a defeat" for Musk and his "self-designed image as a warrior for free speech," The New York Times said. But Musk had already "come to terms" with censorship in India, Turkey and other nations — X's country-by-country response has "often been in line with his personal politics" — and Brazil is "one of X’s most important international markets."

It was clear "from the beginning" who "had more leverage" in the Brazil impasse, The Washington Post said. Other justices lined up behind Moraes, and while prominent right-wing Brazilians "tried to mobilize around the issue of censorship," their complaints "didn't seem to resonate beyond their bubbles." Most X users in the country started flocking to other platforms, including Bluesky and Threads. "It was clear Brazil could live without X," the Post said. "But it wasn't clear X could live without Brazil."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.