Despite several attacks and threats from Elon Musk, the Brazilian government decides to maintain its ban on the social network X.
The social network X (formerly called “Twitter”) is now banned in Brazil. This decision from Judge Alexandre de Moraes is the logical continuation of several years of confrontations with Elon Musk, recent owner of the social network X and the company of the same name.
After several warnings from the Brazilian government, access to the social network is now banned and blocked throughout the country. The authorities have also warned the population about the illegal use of a VPN to circumvent the ban on the social network, threatening to fine any users tempted by this idea.
On his X profile, Elon Musk has been chaining responses and threats towards Judge Alexandre de Moraes, whom he accuses of not respecting several national laws. The owner of X has also decided to create an official profile linked to these accusations.
Today, we begin shining a light on the abuses of Brazilian law committed by Alexandre de Moraes.
We have been forced to share these orders because there is no transparency from the court, and the people who are being censored have no recourse to appeal. Our own appeals have been
— Alexandre Files (@AlexandreFiles) August 31, 2024
Brazilian Supreme Court upholds X’s ban
On Monday, September 2, five members of the Brazilian Supreme Court voted to maintain the ban on the social network X in the country as long as Elon Musk refuses to appoint a legal representative for the company in the country and to ban certain accounts. However, some members of the Court disagreed with the ban on using a VPN to access the social network, believing that such a fine should not be imposed on all users.
In addition to this ban on X in Brazil, alternatives to the social network have observed a sharp increase in new users, particularly on Bluesky and Threads.
What will happen to X?
In addition to banning X from the internet, the Brazilian Supreme Court has also reportedly ordered the country’s multiple internet service providers and app stores to take steps to block the installation and use of the social network in the country.
For Elon Musk, the solution to this problem could be twofold: complacency or retaliation. The owner of X could comply with the Supreme Court’s demands by appointing a legal representative for the company in the country and by ordering the blocking of accounts deemed reprehensible by the members of the Court. The other solution, and what seems most likely for Musk, would be to continue attacking the Supreme Court and its members on his social network and to play on public opinion.
Judge Alexandre de Moraes, for his part, continued his actions against the social network by ordering a blockade of its use via all Starlink satellites. As a reminder, this is an internet network managed by the company SpaceX of which Elon Musk is co-founder.