Nine countries with authoritarian regimes ban X-platform of Elon Musk

With its ban on X-platform, which took effect on Saturday, Brazil joins a small group of countries that have implemented similar measures against the social network, most of which are governed by authoritarian regimes.

In addition to permanent bans, several countries have temporarily restricted access to X-platform, formerly known as Twitter, which has often served as a communication tool for political dissidents.

These temporary restrictions have occurred in Egypt during the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, Turkey in 2014 and 2023, and Uzbekistan during its 2021 presidential election.

Here are some other countries that have imposed bans:

China
Beijing banned Twitter in June 2009, before the platform became a prominent fixture in Western media and politics throughout the 2010s. The ban was enforced two days before the 20th anniversary of the government’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square. Since then, many Chinese citizens have migrated to domestic alternatives like Weibo and WeChat.

Iran
Tehran blocked Twitter in 2009 following widespread demonstrations triggered by a disputed June presidential election. Despite the ban, Twitter has continued to be a tool for disseminating information about dissident movements, including the ongoing protests against Iran’s repression of women’s rights since late 2022.

Turkmenistan
The isolated Central Asian country of Turkmenistan blocked Twitter in the early 2010s, alongside many other foreign online services and websites. Authorities in Ashgabat closely monitor citizens’ internet usage, which is provided exclusively through the state-run monopoly operator, TurkmenTelecom.

North Korea
In 2010, Pyongyang created its own Twitter account to attract foreign interest. However, by April 2016, the regime had blocked Twitter, along with Facebook, YouTube, and sites related to gambling and pornography. Internet access in North Korea is heavily restricted, with only a few high-ranking officials permitted to use it beyond government-controlled websites.

Myanmar
Twitter has been blocked in Myanmar since February 2021, following the military coup that overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government. The junta has since maintained a strict grip on internet access within the country.

Russia
Moscow began throttling access to Twitter in 2021, citing concerns over the platform’s allowance of “illegal content.” A formal ban was imposed in March 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Despite the ban, many Russian users continue to access X via VPN services.

Pakistan
Twitter has been banned in Pakistan since parliamentary elections in February of this year. The government has cited security concerns as the reason for the ban.

Venezuela
In August, following his controversial election win in July, Nicolás Maduro ordered a 10-day suspension of access to Twitter as security forces cracked down on nationwide protests. Although the 10-day period has passed, the ban remains in place.

Brazil
The recent block on X in Brazil was ordered by Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes, who cited the reactivation of accounts that had been suspended by court orders. Users attempting to access X via VPN face a fine of 50,000 reais ($8,900) per day.