- Competitor Bluesky Earning from X-Blocking Practices in Brazil
Elon Musk's digital platform X experiencing shutdown in Brazil has had a substantial impact, benefiting the relatively minor competitor Bluesky. Lately, Bluesky has seen a surge in users by a million, as stated by its developers over the weekend. Previously known as Twitter, X boasts approximately 20 million users in Brazil, as reported by media outlets.
Judge Alexandre de Moraes, from Brazil's Supreme Federal Court, authorized the shutdown of X in the country. He's been critical of the service for not effectively tackling the dissemination of hate speech and misleading information.
Tensions heightened in recent weeks, with the judge requesting X to suspend the accounts of right-wing activists propagating conspiracy theories and misinformation. Musk considered this request unconstitutional, refused compliance, and also neglected to pay the imposed fine.
Additionally, Musk disregarded a deadline to appoint a legal representative for Brazil, prompting Moraes to call for the shutdown on Friday. Musk retaliated by citing freedom of speech and branding the judge as a "dictatorial figure".
Bluesky and other rival platforms have received an influx of users due to discontent with the rightward shift at Twitter and X since Musk's acquisition in October 2022. The billionaire CEO of Tesla and space exploration company SpaceX holds affiliations with the American right, which he frequently expresses to his 190 million followers on X.
Despite this, none of the competing apps have yet surpassed X's popularity. Some have already failed. The most popular alternative to X is Threads from Meta, with around 200 million monthly active users.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, from Brazil's Supreme Federal Court, believed that Elon Musk's digital platform X was not doing enough to address hate speech and misleading information, leading to his authorization of the platform's shutdown in the country. The shutdown, as a result, could potentially contribute to a broader discourse on the importance of digital platforms upholding justice and promoting truthful information.
