BRAZIL’S CENSORSHIP CULTURE: HOW A SINGLE COURT DECISION DESTROYED FREE SPEECH AND EMPOWERED THE ELITE
In a shocking display of authoritarianism, a Brazilian court has handed a victory to the ruling elite by banning X (formerly Twitter) from the country. But in a delicious twist, the move has inadvertently benefited Bluesky, the social media platform favored by the ruling class.
As the ban took effect, Bluesky’s user base surged, with a whopping 500,000 new users joining in just two days. The platform is now the number one free iPhone app in Brazil, with Meta’s Threads a distant second. It’s no wonder, given that Bluesky is the go-to platform for the country’s ruling elite, who have long used social media to shape public opinion and silence dissenting voices.
But what’s truly astonishing is the tone-deaf response from Bluesky’s CEO, Jay Graber, who had the audacity to thank the Brazilian people for "making the right choice." This is the same platform that has long been criticized for its lack of transparency and accountability, and its cozy relationship with the ruling elite.
Meanwhile, X, the platform that dared to challenge the status quo, has been brought to its knees by the Brazilian government’s heavy-handed tactics. The company’s refusal to censor its users has been met with a brutal crackdown, including the shutdown of its operations in Brazil and the threat of fines against users who try to circumvent the ban.
As the dust settles, it’s clear that the Brazilian government’s decision to ban X is not just a blow to free speech, but a stark reminder of the country’s descent into censorship culture. The ruling elite have long used social media to manipulate public opinion and silence dissenting voices, and now they have a platform that is completely beholden to them.
So, as the people of Brazil are forced to choose between the ruling elite’s favorite platform and the freedom to express themselves online, one thing is clear: the battle for free speech is far from over.
