Dubai: Brazil has become the latest country to ban the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. This decision places Brazil alongside a small group of nations that have taken similar measures against the network, many of which are authoritarian regimes.
While some countries have implemented permanent bans on X, others have opted for temporary restrictions. Egypt, Turkey, and Uzbekistan have all restricted access to the platform at various points in recent years.
X: A platform for political dissidents
X has often been used by political dissidents to communicate and organize. This has led to its blocking in countries with repressive regimes.
Countries that have banned X
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China: Beijing banned Twitter in 2009, citing concerns about its use for pro-democracy demonstrations.
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Iran: Tehran blocked Twitter in 2009 following contested presidential elections.
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Turkmenistan: The isolated Central Asian country blocked Twitter in the early 2010s.
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North Korea: Pyongyang blocked Twitter in 2016, along with other foreign websites.
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Myanmar: X has been blocked since the military coup in 2021.
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Russia: Moscow throttled access to Twitter in 2021 and implemented a formal ban in 2022.
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Pakistan: X has been banned since parliamentary polls in February 2023.
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Venezuela: Nicolas Maduro's government suspended access to X in August 2023.
Brazil's Ban
Brazil's decision to ban X was made by Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes, who cited the reactivation of accounts that had been ordered suspended by Brazilian courts. Users connecting to X via a VPN face a fine of 50,000 reais ($8,900) per day.