Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, previously known as Twitter, has been given the green light to return to Brazil after a Supreme Court ruling. Justice Alexandre de Moraes confirmed on Tuesday that X had met all the necessary requirements to resume operations in the country. He ordered the Brazilian telecommunications regulator, Anatel, to facilitate X’s return within 24 hours. However, as of 7 p.m. local time, users in Brazil were still unable to access the platform.
This development marks the end of a period of tension between X and the Brazilian government. In late August, X was banned in Brazil due to a dispute with a local judge over what Musk labeled as “censorship.” However, Musk began to shift his stance later, implementing changes to appease the court. This included blocking accounts flagged by the court, appointing a local representative, and settling outstanding fines.
The return of X to Brazil is a significant development for the platform, given the country’s large and engaged online population. According to Statista, as of the third quarter of 2023, WhatsApp held the top spot for social media usage in Brazil, boasting a reach of 93.4% of the online population. Instagram followed closely at 91.2%, while Facebook had a user base of 83.3%. TikTok and Facebook Messenger held 65.1% and 60.8% usage, respectively, while Pinterest, Telegram, Kuaishou, and Twitter captured smaller portions of the market.
This move by X comes as the platform aims to become an “everything app,” incorporating features like shopping and payment functionalities. It’s also a testament to the growing importance of Brazil’s digital landscape, a market where platforms like Meta’s Instagram and Facebook have also faced regulatory challenges in the past. Meta had been prohibited from using users’ posts to train its AI models in the country.
The return of X to Brazil signifies a shift in the platform’s approach to the country. With the company’s efforts to foster a more open and inclusive platform, it remains to be seen how X will navigate the complex regulatory environment in Brazil and whether it can regain its lost ground in the market.
