Without X Brazilians feel disconnected from the world

SAO PAULO

The blocking of social media platform X in Brazil divided users and politicians over the legitimacy of the ban, and many Brazilians yesterday had difficulty and doubts over navigating other social media in its absence.

The shutdown of Elon Musk’s platform started early on Aug. 31, making it largely inaccessible on both the web and through mobile apps after the billionaire refused to name a legal representative to the country, missing a deadline imposed by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

The blockade marks an escalation in a monthslong feud between Musk and de Moraes over free speech, far-right accounts and misinformation.

Brazil has been one of the biggest markets for X, with tens of millions of users.

“I've got the feeling that I have no idea what’s happening in the world right now. Bizarre,” entertainment writer and heavy X user Chico Barney wrote on Threads.

The Brazilian Bar Association said Friday in a statement that it would request the Supreme Court review the fines imposed on all citizens using VPNs or other means to access X without due process.

The bar argued that sanctions should never be imposed summarily before ensuring an adversarial process and the right to full defense.

On Friday, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva backed de Moraes’ decision and took aim at Musk for positioning himself as though he was above the law.