In a dramatic turn of events in the ongoing conflict between Elon Musk and Brazilian authorities, Musk’s social network X briefly resumed operations in Brazil despite a Supreme Court-imposed stay. The resumption followed a clever change in the network’s Internet traffic routing, effectively bypassing barriers previously imposed by local Internet service providers.
The unexpected return of the network Wednesday came after a three-week blackout attributed to a strategic shift in the way X's data traffic was routed through the internet infrastructure. The move temporarily broke through the digital barriers that had kept the service offline, according to reports inside the country.
However, the president of Anatel, Brazil’s telecommunications regulator, expressed confidence Wednesday night that the ban would be reinstated soon. The development portrays an ongoing struggle between national regulatory powers and the global reach of internet giants like Musk’s companies.
Brazil’s Supreme Court initially ordered the ban because X failed to comply with directives to deactivate certain user accounts and subsequently close its offices in Brazil to avoid repercussions. In a bold move following the court’s decision, another Musk-owned entity, Starlink, declared its intention to keep the network accessible via satellite, a position it later backtracked under pressure from regulators.
The workaround used by X involved using services from Cloudflare, a major San Francisco-based provider known for its extensive support of numerous global websites. This relationship posed a dilemma for Brazilian regulators, as blocking Cloudflare could disrupt a significant part of the country's Internet ecosystem, impacting critical services and numerous other websites.
Despite the technical complexities, Anatel’s swift response, facilitated by Cloudflare’s cooperation, to isolate X’s traffic for a targeted block underscores the ongoing tensions between corporate innovation and government control. Anatel’s chairman, in a recent statement, acknowledged Cloudflare’s collaborative approach, contrasting it with X’s more provocative stance.
This incident not only highlights the technical and political challenges of regulating Internet traffic, but also sets a precedent for how national laws interact with global digital platforms. As the situation unfolds, both sides appear entrenched in a strategic battle that could shape future digital policy and Internet governance around the world.
