If you are in Brazil, and you want to use a VPN to connect to X, which used to be known as Twitter. Then, hold your thoughts because the Supreme Court is just putting a big spanner to that plan!
What’s All this About?
On Friday, Brazil’s Supreme Court dropped a bombshell: The new policy means basically a complete ban on X (Twitter).
Why?
This is so because the tech billionaire behind X did not appoint a legal representative in the country of Brazil. Oh you think that is small, the court is not joking at all. They have concluded that until Musk agrees, X cannot be operated in the country. And if you’re thinking, “I’ll just use a VPN to get around that,” the court’s got news for you too: there is a fine associated with doing that up to $8,874 per day!
Drink Up The Bitterness That This Feud Has Brought
This is not just an emergency decision of the day and I will explain. There has been some tension, to say the least (or, more accurately, a feud) between Musk and Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. They also requested X to shut down some of the accounts associated with the far right political organizations, and the ex-president, Jair Bolsonaro. X complied initially but as things began to get messy the platform sought to resist when it felt that it was being asked to transverse certain limits.
The Supreme Court’s Ultimatum
Just a couple of days before the ban, Justice Alexandre de Moraes gave Musk an ultimatum: Failure to name a legal representative in Brazil within 24 hours will warrant certain repercussions.
Not one to be deterred easily, Musk stayed true to his unconventionalist character. Thus, to fully substantiate that threat, De Moraes had no choice but to take action.
Now, anyone who dares sneak into X using a VPN is setting himself or herself up for some really hefty fines.
The Bigger Picture
Why so much hype about a social networking site? Well, in Brazil, 40 million people use X at least once a month. That is almost 20% of the population. No it is not just a site for cute cat videos and memes; X is heavily involved in politics and often becomes a source for news. Musk claims that he is against censorship and wants to protect freedom of speech. However, the Supreme Court perceives it otherwise stating that they are simply working to restore order and preserve democracy.
VPN: Should I or Should I Not?
Therefore, let me ask you this: If you’re in Brazil and planning to connect to a VPN to get your fix of tweets, you might want to rethink your decision. Yes, a VPN makes it appear as if you are connecting from a different country, however, it does not fully mask you.
What’s Next?
In the meantime, the ban remains in force until Musk provides the name of that particular legal representative. Whether he continues to play the game or maintains the stand is yet another story. Otherwise, in the meantime Brazilians had to search for other means of remaining connected or simply pay the cost of their disobedience to the decisions made by the court.
