Key Points
- After fulfilling other court requirements, x remains banned in Brazil due to a payment error.
- The company paid fines of $5 million but transferred the funds to the wrong bank.
- X has complied with other demands, including appointing a legal representative and removing harmful accounts.
- The platform’s services will remain unavailable in Brazil until the payment issue is resolved.
Despite recent efforts to comply with the Brazilian Supreme Court’s orders, X (formerly Twitter) remains offline in Brazil due to a payment error. The social media platform, banned in the country since late August, took steps in September to fulfill the court’s demands, including appointing a legal representative and removing accounts accused of spreading misinformation and hate speech. However, the final hurdle to reinstating the platform involves clearing fines accumulated over the weeks of non-compliance.
According to court documents cited by Reuters, X was required to pay approximately $5 million in fines to resolve the issue. The company claims it has paid the fines and has requested the court to lift the ban. However, Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes pointed out that the payments were sent to the wrong bank, delaying restoring X’s services in the country. X, meanwhile, insists that the fines have been paid correctly and is working to resolve the situation.
The ban on X was imposed after the platform was accused of failing to combat misinformation and hate speech on its site adequately. Brazil’s Supreme Court demanded that X take down certain accounts allegedly responsible for spreading harmful content. Initially, the company resisted these orders, leading to hefty fines and an eventual ban.
However, in late September, X shifted its stance, showing a willingness to cooperate with the Brazilian authorities. The company complied with the court’s demands by removing flagged accounts and appointing a legal representative to liaise with the government. All that remained to restore the platform’s full access was the payment of the fines.
The bank transfer mishap is now the last obstacle before X can be reinstated in Brazil. The delay has extended the platform’s downtime in the country, and there is no clear timeline for resolving the issue. Despite these complications, X has expressed that it is committed to resolving the issue with the Brazilian government and restoring its services as quickly as possible. Brazilian users cannot access the platform until the court corrects and approves the payment error.
