X prohibition in Brazil: "Permitting Musk to ignore court orders creates a risky precedent"

Elon Musk's social media platform X, formerly Twitter, was blocked in Brazil by the Supreme Court at the end of August. This action concluded a lengthy dispute, where Justice Alexandre de Moraes directed a probe into Musk in April, citing "the dissemination of defamatory fake news" along with "obstruction, incitements, and criminal organisation."

Following the closure of its Brazilian offices in mid-August, X was under pressure to designate a legal representative within a day as of August 28. Non-compliance led to its continued unavailability in Brazil, where it had previously engaged 22 million users.

Despite setting a legal representative, Justice de Moraes noted on a recent Saturday that X was yet to reach compliance for reinstatement, extending a five-day period for additional documentation. This decision impacts Brazilian indie developers significantly, hindering one of their main avenues for connecting with players.

Fernando Tittz Gândara Rezende from Games From The Abyss noted, "Without access to X, my international reach has been severely reduced and it's harder to get fresh news about the games industry as a whole."

Rogue Snail's Luciana Guerrero stated that Bluesky has become a favored alternative, witnessing a surge in new users within a couple of weeks, as studios explore other platforms to maintain audience engagement.

"Without access to X, my international reach has been severely reduced and it's harder to get fresh news about the games industry as a whole"

Fernando Tittz Gândara Rezende

Nicolas Takada from QUByte Interactive mentioned that X's absence has significantly affected their connection with fans. Efforts have increased on other platforms like TikTok, offering creative outlets despite its challenges.

Brazilian studios are facing difficulties as platforms like Instagram and TikTok limit global reach through geolocation preferences. Guerrero noted the reliance on data-driven platforms might hinder wider outreach until solutions like Bluesky mature.

"Overall, Brazilian developers will have a marketing disadvantage," Rezende emphasized, outlining the challenges in maintaining international exposure without X.

Reflecting on the legal and ethical implications, Guerrero criticized Musk's disregard for Brazilian laws, stressing the need for adherence to judicial mandates.

"While Twitter/X is an important tool for reaching global audiences, we can’t support Elon Musk's disregard for Brazilian laws"

Luciana Guerrero

Despite recent strides in addressing legal requirements, the path to X's return remains uncertain, with local and global developers keenly awaiting developments.

"At this point, it's difficult to predict the long-term effects," Nicolas Takada commented, expressing hope for a resolution that allows Brazilian developers to regain global access through X.

Rezende advised local developers to innovate and support each other during these challenging times, encouraging the sharing of successful approaches that could aid the community.