Elon Musk’s platform X is now facing increasing scrutiny from governments around the world, navigating a difficult path between authoritarian restrictions and investigations by democratic nations.
Since 2015, X has been subjected to varying degrees of restrictions or blocks in 37 countries. Despite this, Musk remains undeterred, challenging leaders from both authoritarian and democratic countries.
He notably clashed with Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, often labeled a ‘digital authoritarian,’ and more recently, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, amidst a backdrop of far-right riots.
In Brazil, Musk directed his challenge toward Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes rather than President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The conflict intensified after X decided to close its office in Brazil following a ruling by Moraes, who ordered the blocking of accounts accused of spreading misinformation. Many of these accounts were linked to supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
The decision led to daily fines of R$100,000 (about $19,774) for any reinstated accounts and has put Musk under investigation for possible obstruction of justice. X has criticized Moraes’ actions as “censorship” that undermines democratic principles.
While X remains operational in Brazil, there is a growing concern about whether it might soon face a ban. Lina Survila, a spokesperson for cybersecurity company Surfshark, which monitors internet shutdowns, notes that “the possibility of Brazil blocking X remains significant.”
She explained that Brazil has a history of restricting social media platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram when they do not comply with local content regulations. If X is perceived as contributing to political instability, a similar block could be imposed.
Brazil previously restricted internet access five times, primarily targeting WhatsApp and Telegram, with each block lasting about 32 hours on average.
Currently, X is restricted in eight countries, including Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Myanmar, North Korea, Venezuela, and Turkmenistan—nations known for imposing strict internet controls to maintain power and limit dissent.
The balance between content moderation and censorship is becoming more blurred. Over the past five years, 46 governments have imposed social media restrictions, typically during times of political unrest.
As Laura Petrone, a senior thematic analyst at GlobalData, points out, Musk’s approach of prioritizing ‘free speech’ for X is increasingly conflicting with democratic regulations, such as the EU’s Digital Services Act, which seeks to hold social media platforms accountable for harmful content.
Since acquiring X in October 2022, Musk has laid off nearly half of its staff, including many content moderators, resulting in a rise in offensive language, violent videos, and controversial content on the platform.
Recent reports also highlighted the use of X and other social media platforms by arms dealers in Yemen to promote weapons, further complicating the debate around content regulation.
As X loosens its moderation policies, Petrone anticipates that clashes like the one with Brazil’s Supreme Court could become more frequent. Each country will need to navigate the challenging line between necessary moderation and outright censorship in regulating social media content.
