Brazil Enforces Fines for VPN Use to Access Elon Musk’s Platform X

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Brazil Enforces Fines for VPN Use to Access Elon Musk’s Platform X

By CircleID Reporter
September 12, 2024, 9:09 am PDT Views: 8,024 Add Comment

The Supreme Federal Court Palace on Praça dos Três Poderes

As of September 6, Brazilians caught using VPNs to access Elon Musk’s social media platform X will face fines of up to 50,000 reais ($8,943.74) per day, despite false claims online suggesting otherwise. The platform was banned on August 30 after failing to comply with Brazil’s legal requirements, including naming a local representative. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the fine, and the ruling was upheld unanimously by First Chamber Justices on September 2.

False VPN claims: Contrary to social media posts claiming the ruling was reversed, the ban and the fines remain in effect. These posts falsely suggested a victory for free speech, encouraging users to continue accessing X via VPNs without fear of penalties. However, as of the latest update, these claims are inaccurate.

VPN removal dropped: Initially, Moraes also mandated the removal of VPN apps from Google and Apple stores in Brazil, but that part of the order has since been dropped, while the penalties for VPN use to access X remain enforced. This legal battle highlights tensions between Brazil’s judiciary and tech platforms over compliance with national regulations. Both the August 30 orders and further details are available in Portuguese on Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court website.

The situation underscores the growing importance of digital regulation in Brazil, where the judiciary has taken a firm stance against non-compliant global tech platforms.

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By CircleID Reporter — CircleID’s internal staff reporting on news tips and developing stories. Do you have information the professional Internet community should be aware of? Contact us.
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