BRASILIA (Reuters)

Elon Musk-owned social media platform X has named a legal representative in Brazil, according to the firm’s lawyers on Friday. This move addresses demands from Brazil’s top court to operate in the country.

Legal Representation

Andre Zonaro and Sergio Rosenthal, recently appointed as X’s lawyers in Brazil, announced that Rachel de Oliveira Conceicao was chosen as the firm’s legal representative. Her name has been submitted to the Supreme Court.

Brazilian law mandates foreign companies to appoint a legal representative to operate domestically, assuming local legal responsibilities.

Previous Situation

X had a legal representative in Brazil until mid-August when it closed its local offices. In late August, Brazil’s top court ordered mobile and internet service providers to block X after the firm failed to name a new legal representative, resulting in users being cut off.

Dispute with Courts

This decision followed an ongoing dispute between Musk and Brazilian Justice Alexandre de Moraes regarding the platform’s non-compliance with orders to combat hate speech proliferation. Courts have previously blocked accounts implicated in misinformation and hate speech investigations, which Musk labeled as censorship.

Compliance

Recently, the lawyers representing X in Brazil stated that the firm is beginning to comply with orders regarding content removal, another requirement from the top court.