Returning to X, STF explains suspension and says that any company needs to comply with laws

In its first publication after the unblocking of X (formerly Twitter), the official account of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) on the platform explained this Wednesday (9) the process of suspending and resuming the social network’s activities in Brazil.

In a sequence of posts, the STF states that, between May and August 2024, .

The first publication recalls the decision of August 18, when minister Alexandre de Moraes ordered the company to “regularize the situation regarding content, fines and legal representation”. On that occasion, the freezing of accounts and the seizure of assets were authorized to guarantee the payment of fines.

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The explanation continues, remembering that on August 28, the platform was given a 24-hour deadline to appoint a legal representative in the country. As he did not do so, on August 30 his activities were suspended by a monocratic decision by Moraes, later unanimously confirmed by the First Panel of the Court.

The publication also points out that, on September 19, a change in the registration of X servers with the use of dynamic IPs allowed users to use the network in Brazil, circumventing Moraes’ determination. The STF fined Elon Musk’s social network R$5 million and ordered the blocking of Cloudfare, a service that provides dynamic IPs.

The STF goes on to say that, on September 20, the company informed the appointment of lawyer Rachel de Oliveira Villa Nova as legal representative in Brazil. On September 21, Moraes gave five days for additional documentation on the representation to be sent.

The post also recalls that the case’s rapporteur reiterated that the platform’s resumption of operation depended on full payment of the fine imposed. The company proved compliance with two requirements: the blocking of indicated profiles and the appointment of the company’s legal representative in the country

After payment of the fines – initially made in an account different from the one linked to the process – and a favorable opinion from the Attorney General’s Office (PGR), the Supreme Court authorized the resumption of the platform’s operation.