Shortly after Elon Musk’s X was shut down by the Brazilian Supreme Court, Bluesky, a social media platform, saw approximately two million new registrations within a span of four days. Bluesky, having been established by Jack Dorsey, a co-founder of X in 2019, soared to the top of popularity charts on both Google and Apple application stores in Brazil.
This surge in popularity for Bluesky is indicative of the significant role that social media plays in Brazilian society, with over 144 million individuals utilising at least one form of platform. The country also consistently ranks highly among nations spending the most time online.
Musk’s X is immediately at risk due to the ongoing ban in Brazil. With its user base of about 20 million people before the restriction was imposed by the court, Brazil was X’s sixth-largest market, providing a substantial portion of ad revenue.
Alexandre de Moraes, Supreme Court judge, ordered the prohibition of X after an extensive, visible dispute with Musk regarding accounts allegedly associated with extremist groups. Musk has frequently and openly criticised the judge for what he interprets as censorship demands for account suspension or removal. Conversely, Judge Moraes interprets his actions as safeguarding Brazilian democracy.
The ban was enforced following X’s refusal to meet a court-set deadline for appointing a legal representative, a requirement per civil code. Musk had previously closed X’s Brazilian office expressing protest against Judge Moraes.
Opinion on the site’s suspension in Brazil is split. Right-wing individuals see it as an assault on freedom of expression, whereas left-leaning politicians perceive it as a demonstration of national autonomy.
Geraldo Alckmin, the vice-president, reiterated on Monday to local media that Elon Musk’s billionaire status does not exempt him from law abidance, stating that Musk needs to follow the legal requirements just like anyone else.
Despite the furor and vast cultural influence, X is only utilised by approximately 44 per cent of the nation’s entire online demographic. This is contrasted with 91 per cent for Instagram, 83 per cent for Facebook and 65 per cent for TikTok. Nevertheless, X is a favoured communication channel amongst politicians, finding particular favour with right-wing personas since Musk’s acquisition of the company two years prior.
“Twitter doesn’t necessarily hold strong appeal to the average Brazilian,” comments David Nemer, assistant professor of media studies at the University of Virginia. “However, it is a hub where you’ll locate journalists, professors, researchers, celebrities, corporations and governments. There’s a wealth of knowledge available. Furthermore, it’s a significant platform for politicians to interact intensely with potential electorate.
Bluesky, with its current total of eight million users, welcomed the spike in Brazilian traffic to their platform, stating that the rush of activity had established “unprecedented levels of engagement on the network”.
“We can now be considered a Brazilian app,” the company playfully stated on their webpage. However, this was followed shortly by a Supreme Court directive instructing Bluesky to terminate fraudulent profiles impersonating the court. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024.