You can again access X, Elon Musk's social media platform, in Brazil after being blocked for over two weeks. However, the restoration appears temporary, not because the Brazilian government has changed its stance on banning the service. Instead, the platform seems to have bypassed government restrictions by using Cloudflare's DNS service. This allows X to function in Brazil, though it's uncertain how long this workaround will last.
In a statement, a spokesperson for X referred to the situation as an “inadvertent and temporary service restoration” and warned that the platform will likely become inaccessible again “soon.” The block on X has been in place since late August following a Supreme Court order issued by Judge Alexandre de Moraes. This decision was a response to X's refusal to block certain accounts, a conflict brewing between the court and Elon Musk. The situation also impacted Musk's other company, Starlink, which had its Brazilian bank accounts frozen as part of the wider dispute.
X's use of Cloudflare allows temporary access
According to X's spokesperson, the platform's shutdown in Brazil affected its ability to maintain services in Latin America. “When X was shut down in Brazil, our infrastructure to provide service to Latin America was no longer accessible to our team,” the spokesperson explained. To restore service in Brazil, X switched network providers, which inadvertently allowed the platform to become available again briefly. Despite the platform's current accessibility, the company expects this will change soon as Brazilian authorities continue to enforce the ban.
X has expressed hope of resuming service in Brazil soon, stating, “While we expect the platform to be inaccessible again in Brazil soon, we continue efforts to work with the Brazilian government to return very soon for the people of Brazil.”
Blocked but not forgotten
The restoration of X in Brazil has been inconsistent, with some users reporting access to the platform while others continue to experience disruptions. According to The New York Times, many users in Brazil found that the service began returning on Wednesday, though it was not fully reliable. X's move to use Cloudflare's DNS service temporarily enabled the platform to get around the government block.
However, Brazilian internet service providers (ISPs) are likely working to ensure they comply with the court's ruling. Should the ISPs fail to block X effectively, Brazilian authorities may seek alternative methods to reinforce the ban. The country has taken serious measures to prevent users from bypassing the block, including imposing significant fines on those caught using VPNs to access X.
While the temporary restoration of X provides a brief respite for users, the platform's future in Brazil remains uncertain as the dispute between the government and Elon Musk's companies continues.
