September 1st 2024.
The recent blocking of social media platform X in Brazil has stirred up quite a controversy, with users and politicians on opposite sides of the argument. The ban has left many Brazilians feeling lost and uncertain as they try to navigate through other social media options. The shutdown of X was initiated early in the day, rendering it inaccessible on both the web and mobile apps. This came after billionaire Elon Musk refused to comply with a request from Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes to name a legal representative for the country, missing the deadline that was set.
The decision to block X marks a significant escalation in a long-standing dispute between Musk and de Moraes over issues of free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation. Brazil is one of the biggest markets for the platform, with tens of millions of users relying on it for various purposes. The sudden ban has left many feeling disconnected from the world, with entertainment writer and avid X user Chico Barney expressing his frustration on the text-based app, Threads, developed by Instagram.
Barney's sentiment was shared by many others, with some even comparing the app's algorithm to an all-you-can-eat restaurant where the waiter keeps serving things that they would never order. As X users scrambled to find alternative platforms, Bluesky, a social media platform launched last year as a competitor to X and other established sites, saw a massive influx of Brazilian users in just a matter of days. The company reported over 200,000 new sign-ups and a continuous growth in numbers.
The migration to different platforms is not new for Brazilians, who were quick to adopt Orkut before it shut down and then moved on to other platforms. While X may not be as popular as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok in Brazil, it remains an essential platform for political debates and is highly influential among politicians, journalists, and opinion leaders. It is also a source of humor and the birthplace of many famous memes.
The ban on X has not only affected regular users but has also had an impact on pop stars and their fanbases, who were left without a platform to connect with their Brazilian fans. As X users searched for ways to bypass the ban, discussions on virtual private networks (VPNs) and their potential to enable access to X were widespread. The move to block VPNs was met with backlash, with some legal experts questioning its legality and others criticizing it as authoritarian.
The Brazilian Bar Association also raised concerns about the lack of due process in imposing fines on citizens using VPNs to access X. Political science professor Maurício Santoro expressed his disbelief at the ban, stating that he had used VPNs in authoritarian countries like China to continue accessing news sites and social networks. He described the situation as "dystopian."
Meanwhile, right-wing congressman Nikolas Ferreira, a close ally of former President Jair Bolsonaro, shared his thoughts on the ban, suggesting that it was an attempt to turn Brazil into a communist dictatorship. His sentiments were echoed by many others, with some urging Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco to take action and open impeachment proceedings against de Moraes.
In contrast, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his support for de Moraes' decision, stating that anyone with investments in Brazil is subject to Brazilian laws. He criticized Musk for thinking he was above the law and urged citizens to comply with the Supreme Court's decision. The ban on X has left many Brazilians feeling disconnected from the world, with 18-year-old student Ana Júlia Alves de Oliveira sharing that she relied on the platform for news and entertainment. She, like many others, now feels out of touch with the world and has had to adjust to a new reality.
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