The social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has made a partial return in Brazil after being blocked for more than two weeks. However, this reappearance is not due to a change in the Brazilian government's stance on the platform, which is owned by Elon Musk. Instead, X's temporary availability in Brazil is reportedly the result of the platform's use of Cloudflare's DNS service, which is currently bypassing government-imposed restrictions. How long this workaround will last remains uncertain.
A spokesperson for X referred to the restoration as "inadvertent and temporary," adding that the platform will likely become inaccessible again soon. X has been blocked in Brazil since the end of August when Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes ordered internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict access to the platform. This decision followed a months-long standoff between the judge and Musk over X's refusal to block certain accounts deemed problematic by the court.
The Conflict Behind the Block
The block on X in Brazil stems from a larger dispute between Musk and the Brazilian judiciary, specifically regarding X's content moderation policies. Judge de Moraes had requested that certain accounts be blocked on the platform due to their spreading of misinformation and other harmful content. However, X, under Musk's leadership, refused to comply with these demands, leading to the platform's shutdown in the country. As part of the fallout, the Brazilian government even froze bank accounts tied to SpaceX-owned Starlink, another company in Musk's portfolio.
When X became inaccessible in Brazil, the platform's infrastructure supporting Latin American operations also became unavailable to the company's internal teams. According to a statement from X, the company switched to a new network provider—Cloudflare—in an attempt to continue serving users in the region. This change, however, inadvertently restored access to Brazilian users, at least temporarily.
Cloudflare's Role in Bypassing the Ban
The New York Times reported that X began to return online for many users in Brazil on Wednesday, though access remains inconsistent. This partial restoration is linked to X's use of Cloudflare's DNS service, which, for now, is helping the platform bypass the Brazilian government's restrictions. While the return of the platform is not fully stable, it raises questions about how long the workaround will last before Brazilian authorities find new ways to enforce the ban.
Internet service providers in Brazil are under court order to block X, and they are likely working to reimpose the ban after this temporary restoration. In the meantime, Brazilian regulators have been cracking down on users attempting to circumvent the ban, with fines imposed on those who use virtual private networks (VPNs) to access the platform.
Future of X in Brazil
While X has reappeared for some users, the platform's future in Brazil remains uncertain. The company has expressed a desire to resolve its conflict with the Brazilian government, but no clear solution has emerged. According to X, it is actively working to find a resolution that would allow the platform to return permanently. Until then, Brazilian users face an uncertain future regarding their access to the platform.
The temporary restoration highlights the challenges global tech companies face when navigating varying national regulations. For now, X's future in Brazil hangs in the balance as the company and the government continue to grapple over issues of platform control and free speech.