Elon Musk’s X Appoints Legal Representative To Avoid Brazil Ban Amid Ongoing Dispute

Elon Musk’s social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has appointed a legal representative in Brazil to avoid a nationwide ban. The company confirmed the news on Friday, meeting one of the key demands set by Brazil’s top court to continue operating in the country.

X’s lawyers, Andre Zonaro and Sergio Rosenthal, told Reuters that Rachel de Oliveira Conceicao has been designated as the firm’s legal representative. Her appointment was submitted to Brazil’s Supreme Court on Friday, weeks after the platform missed the initial deadline, resulting in a temporary suspension of service for millions of Brazilian users.

The suspension was linked to Brazil’s legal requirement for foreign companies to appoint a legal representative in the country, responsible for handling local legal matters. X had previously fulfilled this obligation, but the position was left vacant after the company closed its Brazilian offices in mid-August.

The situation escalated when Brazil’s top court ordered mobile and internet providers to block access to X, following a prolonged legal dispute between Musk and Brazilian Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The tension arose after Brazil urged X to take action against hate speech on the platform, an order the company did not comply with. Musk also publicly criticized Judge de Moraes, calling him a “dictator.”

The court has previously blocked accounts involved in spreading misinformation and hate speech, a move Musk has condemned as censorship. However, on Thursday, X’s legal team in Brazil announced that the company had begun complying with court orders to remove harmful content, as well as addressing other legal requirements.