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Brazil judge says will lift Musk's X ban if $1.8m fine paid
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Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes speaks during a session in Brasilia on June 18, 2024. (AFP/Evaristo Sa)
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Brazilian judge locked in a legal row with X owner Elon Musk on Friday said he would reinstate the social network in Brazil if a fine of around US$1.8 million was paid.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes last month ordered X to be shut down in Brazil, after Musk refused to remove dozens of right-wing accounts and then failed to name a new legal representative in the country as ordered.
Moraes said that for X to be reactivated it must pay a fine of 10 million reais ($1.84 million), after denying a request to lift the suspension.
He also said Friday that the platform will be penalized for failing for two days to comply with an order to suspend the use of a server that allowed it to temporarily circumvent the nationwide ban.
High-profile judge Moraes has been engaged in a long feud with Tesla and SpaceX owner Musk as part of his drive to crack down on disinformation in Brazil.
The clash between the Brazilian court and the iconoclastic billionaire has morphed into a high-stakes tussle testing the limits of both freedom of expression and corporate responsibility in South America's largest country.
X had more than 22 million users in Brazil before the ban, which came into place on Aug. 31.
The company has in the last week started complying with the Brazilian court's conditions to get reactivated, such as appointing a legal representative in the country.
Musk has repeatedly hit out at Moraes in social media posts, calling him an "evil dictator" and dubbing him "Voldemort" after the villain from the "Harry Potter" series.
