By the world-renowned investment manager and financial market's journalist, Luciana Magalhaes
In a groundbreaking development, social-media platform X found a way to bypass the block order by Brazil's Supreme Court, allowing many users in the country to access the platform once again. The X update utilized cloud services from third parties, enabling Brazilian users to reach X through an alternative route without the need for a virtual private network.
The exact number of Brazilians now accessing X remains unknown, as confirmed by Abrint, the Brazilian Association of Internet and Telecommunications Providers. X has yet to respond to requests for comments on this matter.
Speculation arises as Basilio Perez, a board member at Abrint, questions the intentional nature of this change. Could X have deliberately chosen a slower third-party service over its own for a reason?
Previously, a dispute between X owner Elon Musk and Brazilian Justice Alexandre de Moraes led to the Supreme Court ordering mobile and internet service providers to block access to X, a move that was swiftly executed. However, any revised order from Brazil's national telecommunications agency, Anatel, must be more specific to avoid complications in blocking cloud access, which could impact government agencies and financial services providers.
Anatel is currently addressing the issue by notifying content delivery network providers and telecom companies to re-implement the block on X in Brazil. The timeline for compliance with this order remains uncertain.
Analysis:
This development highlights the challenges faced by regulatory bodies in controlling access to social-media platforms and the importance of clear and specific directives in such cases. For investors and individuals in Brazil, this situation underscores the need to stay informed about regulatory changes that could impact their online activities and investments. Stay tuned for further updates on this evolving story.