Brazil Joins Growing List of Nations Restricting X
PARIS: Brazil has recently implemented a ban on X, the social networking site formerly known as Twitter. This move places Brazil among a select group of countries that have restricted or banned X, mostly under authoritarian regimes.
In addition to permanent bans, some countries have temporarily blocked access to X, particularly during political upheavals. Notable instances include:
- Egypt (2011): During the Arab Spring, Egypt temporarily restricted X as political unrest unfolded.
- Turkey (2014, 2023): Turkey has periodically blocked X in response to political events.
- Uzbekistan (2021): The country restricted access to X around its presidential election.
Here’s a look at other countries where X is banned:
- China: Beijing blocked Twitter in June 2009, just before the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests. Since then, Chinese users have turned to local platforms like Weibo and WeChat.
- Iran: In 2009, Iran banned Twitter amid widespread protests following a disputed election. Despite the ban, Twitter has been used to share information about protests and dissident movements in Iran.
- Turkmenistan: The Central Asian country has blocked Twitter since the early 2010s, along with other foreign websites. The government closely monitors internet use through its state-run provider, TurkmenTelecom.
- North Korea: North Korea blocked Twitter, along with Facebook and YouTube, in April 2016. The internet in North Korea is tightly controlled, with access limited to a few high-ranking officials.
- Myanmar: Since February 2021, Myanmar has blocked X due to its use by opponents of the military coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi. The junta has since maintained strict control over internet access.
- Russia: Moscow began throttling access to Twitter in 2021 and imposed a formal ban in March 2022, shortly after its invasion of Ukraine. Many Russians use VPN services to bypass this restriction.
- Pakistan: X has been banned in Pakistan since February 2024 due to security concerns surrounding parliamentary elections.
- Venezuela: Following controversial elections in July, Venezuela suspended access to X for 10 days starting August 9. The ban continues despite the original deadline passing.
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- Brazil: The Brazilian Supreme Court, led by Judge Alexandre de Moraes, recently imposed the ban on X due to issues with reactivated accounts that were previously suspended by the courts. Users accessing X through a VPN face fines of 50,000 reais ($8,900) per day.