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Expert Untangles VPNs as Brazil’s Twitter Ban Sparks New Interest
Sites, apps, and governments often block access regionally, requiring technical tools to get around them.
Jason Nelson
By Jason Nelson
Sep 7, 2024
5 min read
Image: Shutterstock
Image: Shutterstock

Last week, the government of Brazil banned X, formerly Twitter, cutting off millions of users from the Elon Musk-owned social network. It is one of the more high-profile examples of restrictions placed on platforms, and disputes around the world span a multitude of reasons: free speech (at least in the U.S.), political dissent, copyright, and illegal activity.

While alternate social media platforms like Bluesky saw a surge in new users from Brazil after the ban, some still insistent on using X have turned to virtual private networks (VPNs)—though doing so is also forbidden by the Brazilian government, and violations could come with a hefty daily fine.

Other sophisticated tools for obfuscating your location include the Tor Br…