In a unanimous ruling, Brazil's Supreme Court has sustained the prohibition against the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The decision follows X's failure to designate a new legal representative in Brazil by the stipulated court deadline.
Origins of the Ban
The restriction on X began on a Saturday morning, stemming from an ongoing dispute between Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes and X's owner, Elon Musk. The conflict started in April when Justice Moraes ordered various accounts to be suspended for spreading disinformation, targeting primarily supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro.
The decision provoked extensive discourse within the country. Justice Moraes convened a five-judge panel to review the suspension. Justice Flávio Dino remarked on the necessity of balancing free speech with responsibility, stating, “The inseparability of freedom of expression and responsibility must be acknowledged.”
Elon Musk castigated the ruling, labeling it a politically motivated action by an “unelected pseudo-judge” that jeopardizes democratic principles. Moraes' ruling also directed companies like Apple and Google to remove X from app stores within five days and to block its functionality on iOS and Android devices. VPN users accessing X risk fines of R$50,000 ($8,910; £6,780).
Starlink's Stand and VPN Increase
Despite the court order, SpaceX's Starlink, partially owned by Musk, informed Brazil's telecom regulator, Anatel, of its intent to non-comply until the court releases its assets. Justice Moraes had frozen Starlink's operations in Brazil due to X's $3 million in unpaid fines. Thus, X remains online through Starlink's service.
Business Insider reports that the ban triggered a surge in VPN use, with VPNMentor reporting a demand increase as high as 1,600%. The behavior underscores the efforts of numerous Brazilians to circumvent the ban and retain access to X.
With X out of reach, Brazilians have pivoted to other microblogging services such as Bluesky and Threads. These platforms saw a sharp increase in downloads over the weekend, becoming the most popular iPhone apps in Brazil at the time. Bluesky alone gained half a million new users from Brazil in just two days. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also migrated his online presence to Bluesky and other networks to stay connected with his audience.
The X ban has heightened apprehension among some Brazilians who feel excluded from global discourse. Despite X's lesser popularity compared to Facebook, YouTube, or TikTok in the country, its absence impacts many users. Some argue the restriction is repressive and contradictory, considering Justice Moraes' proclaimed aim of fighting authoritarian extremism.
