Elon Musk’s microblogging site X, formerly known as Twitter, has been banned in Brazil after a prolonged legal battle with the country’s Supreme Court over disinformation concerns. The conflict began in April when Judge Alexandre de Moraes ordered X to suspend several accounts spreading false information. X’s refusal to comply led to the current suspension and a fine of 50,000 reais (approximately $8,900) for any attempts to bypass the ban, including VPN use.
Elon Plays Cool over X’s Ban in Brazil, shares Meme
Musk reacted strongly, criticizing Justice de Moraes as an “evil dictator” and sharing a meme suggesting that VPN companies in Brazil would thrive following the ban. In response to Musk’s post, users joked about the rise of VPN services, with some noting a spike in Google searches for VPNs in Brazil since the ban’s enforcement on August 30.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 1, 2024
Brazil Users May Get Affected, especially crypto communities
For the cryptocurrency community, the ban marks a significant loss, as X has long been a vital hub for discussions and information sharing within the industry. Jack Dorsey, a crypto advocate and co-founder of X (formerly Twitter), has endorsed alternative platforms like Nostr and Bluesky. Although Dorsey has since distanced himself from Bluesky, the platform experienced an unprecedented surge in traffic following the ban in Brazil, as noted by one of its developers.
Censorship versus Misinformation Spreading via Social Media
This move underscores the increasing challenges faced by social media platforms in navigating regulations and content moderation, particularly in contexts where the balance between free speech and disinformation is highly contested.
