The ban on the social media platform in Brasil has sparked division among users and politicians.
On Saturday morning, Brasil implemented a sweeping ban on Elon Musk’s X/Twitter, rendering the platform nearly inaccessible on both web and mobile. The move followed Musk’s failure to appoint a legal representative in Brasil, missing a deadline set by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
This ban intensifies the ongoing clash between Musk and de Moraes over issues of free speech, far-right accounts, and misinformation. Brasil, a significant market for X/Twitter with tens of millions of users, is feeling the impact acutely.
Chico Barney, an entertainment writer and frequent X/Twitter user, expressed his disorientation on Threads, an alternative text-based app from Instagram. “I feel like I have no idea what’s happening in the world right now. Bizarre,” he wrote, noting that Threads’ algorithm felt overwhelming and unfocused.
In recent days, Bluesky, a social media platform launched last year as an alternative to X/Twitter, has seen a surge in Brazilian users. The company reported around 200,000 new sign-ups from Brasil recently, with the number continuing to rise. Brazilians are also setting new records for engagement on Bluesky. Previous platform users welcomed the influx of Brazilians. “Hello literally everyone in Brazil,” a Threads user wrote. “We’re a lot nicer than Twitter here,” another commented.
Migrating between platforms is familiar for Brazilians, who were early adopters of Orkut and seamlessly transitioned to other networks when it shut down. Though X/Twitter is less popular in Brasil compared to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, it remains influential in political discourse and among opinion leaders.
The platform is also a hub for Brazilian humor and creativity. Recently, users collaboratively crafted an absurd telenovela storyline on X/Twitter, complete with an AI-generated theme song.
Pop culture fans were also affected by the ban. Cardi B lamented the loss of her Brazilian fan pages, and Timothée Chalamet’s fan page, TimotheeUpdates, announced a temporary hiatus due to its all-Brazilian admin team.
De Moraes has stated that X/Twitter will remain blocked until it complies with his directives and has imposed a daily fine of R$50,000 (£6,800) for VPN usage to bypass the ban. Some legal experts question the legality and enforceability of this decision, with others critiquing it as authoritarian.
The Brazilian Bar Association plans to request a Supreme Court review of these fines, arguing that sanctions should not be imposed without due process. Maurício Santoro, a political science professor, expressed his dismay at the idea of banning VPNs in Brazil, likening it to a dystopian scenario.
As of Friday, many Brazilians were searching for VPNs to circumvent the block and continue using X/Twitter. Right-wing congressman Nikolas Ferreira criticized the ban, suggesting it threatens free speech and democracy. His comment received a supportive emoji from Musk.
Ferreira, a prominent figure in the pro-Bolsonaro camp, was targeted by de Moraes following the January 2023 attack on Brazil’s Congress and other key institutions by Bolsonaro supporters. Lawmaker Bia Kicis, also a Bolsonaro ally, warned of the negative consequences of de Moraes’ actions and called for Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco to address the issue.
Former President Jair Bolsonaro decried the ban as a blow to freedom and legal security, claiming it undermines both free expression and international business confidence in Brazil. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva supported de Moraes’ decision, asserting that foreign investors must adhere to Brazilian laws and that wealth should not exempt individuals from legal obligations.
For many young Brazilians like 18-year-old Ana Júlia Alves de Oliveira, the ban has created a sense of disconnection. She, like many others, relied on X/Twitter for news and felt a significant void without it. “I kind of lost touch with what’s going on around the world,” she said, reflecting on the shift in her daily digital life.
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