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Recent reports have shown that Elon Musk’s X social network has carried out an automatic update overnight on phone applications which can easily allow it to bypass a ban in Brazil, an association of internet providers said.
The platform, previously known as Twitter, was unexpectedly accessible again to Brazilian users on their phones following a court order last month by a Supreme Court judge to shut it down in a contentious legal dispute with Musk.
The Brazilian Association of Internet and Telecommunications Providers (ABRINT) explained that the return of X was due to an update of the app to Cloudflare software that uses constantly changing IP addresses.
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The previous system used specific IPs, which act like a home address for servers or computers and could more easily be blocked.
The changes “make blocking the app much more complicated,” said ABRINT.
Many of the dynamic IPs “are shared with other legitimate services, such as banks and large internet platforms, making it impossible to block an IP without affecting other services,” the group said.
“Internet providers are in a delicate position,” and awaiting technical analysis and instructions from Brazil’s telecommunications agency, said ABRINT.
Brazil’s shutdown of X infuriated Musk and has fueled a fierce debate on freedom of expression and the limits of social networks, both inside and outside the country.
The social media platform has more than 22 million users in Brazil.
The hashtag “Twitter is back” was one of the most used on Wednesday in Brazil.
Last month, Judge Alexandre de Moraes issued a ban on X because Musk declined to delete numerous right-wing accounts and did not appoint a new legal representative in the country as instructed.
Moraes and the South African-born billionaire have frequently come into conflict due to Moraes’ determination to combat disinformation.
Last week he ordered the transfer of some $3 million from Musk’s companies to pay fines incurred by X.
