Since Musk’s acquisition of X, the platform has faced conflicts with companies and governments. Despite its large user base, some opponents can significantly impact X’s reach. Over the weekend, the Brazilian government made a move to do just that by effectively banning X from the country.
Recently, Brazil issued an ultimatum to social app: appoint a legal representative or face suspension. Musk missed the deadline, leading the government to implement an immediate ban, according to Bloomberg.
Within a day, Brazil restricted access to X and ordered Apple and Google to remove the app from their stores within five days. The government has also imposed fines of around $8,900 for anyone caught using the app, whether through the app or a VPN. Since the ban, many Brazilian users have migrated to Bluesky and Mastodon.
The conflict between Musk and Brazil began when X reinstated accounts linked to misinformation in the country. The current ban is due to Brazil’s requirement for major platforms to have a legal representative in the country.
