In Brazil, the online platform X has reportedly resumed service for many users over two weeks after being blocked by the Brazilian government. This resurgence is not due to a policy reversal by the authorities but appears to be a result of X employing Cloudflare’s DNS service. This maneuver seems to temporarily circumvent the government-imposed restrictions, although the longevity of this workaround remains uncertain.
The service had been inaccessible since late August following an order by Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes. The judge directed internet service providers in Brazil to block access to X after ongoing conflicts with Elon Musk, the owner of the platform, due to X’s refusal to block certain accounts. This conflict also extended to SpaceX’s Starlink, which saw its Brazilian bank accounts frozen amid the dispute.
According to The New York Times, X is gradually becoming accessible again for many users, though service stability varies. The switch to Cloudflare has seemingly allowed the platform to partially sidestep the block temporarily. Meanwhile, Brazilian internet service providers are likely assessing their options to adhere to the court order. If compliance fails, authorities may seek alternative methods to enforce the block. Additionally, regulators have implemented substantial fines for users attempting to bypass the ban using virtual private networks (VPNs).
