Brazilians See Political Motivation Behind X Shutdown, Survey Shows

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More than half of Brazilians believe that Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes's decision to block access to the social media platform X in Brazil was driven more by political motives than by technical or legal reasons, according to a survey. The poll, released Wednesday (4th) by Atlas Intel, examined public perception of the judge's ruling.

The survey found that 56.5% of respondents saw political motivations behind the suspension of the platform, while 41.7% thought the decision was based on technical reasons.

Atlas Intel surveyed 1,617 people between September 3rd and 4th across Brazil's five regions. The poll has a margin of error of two percentage points, with a confidence level of 95%.

Moraes ordered the blocking of X on August 30th after businessman Elon Musk refused to appoint a legal representative to oversee the company's operations in Brazil. Moraes claimed the platform sought to evade Brazilian jurisdiction to avoid complying with court orders.

The decision sparked widespread debate about the judiciary’s reach and the right to access information, prompting opposition lawmakers to release a manifesto against Moraes's decision. They plan to campaign for the minister’s impeachment during protests on September 7th, set to take place on São Paulo’s iconic Avenida Paulista.

The survey also revealed that a majority (64.5%) of respondents viewed the imposition of a R$ 50,000 fine on those attempting to access X via VPN (Virtual Private Network) as excessive. Only 34.7% supported the penalty.

Despite the prevailing sentiment that the decision was politically motivated and the fine unreasonable, opinions on the platform’s shutdown itself were more divided. The poll showed a near tie: 50.9% opposed the blocking of X, while 48.1% supported the measure, falling within the margin of error.

Atlas Intel also touched on the suspension of accounts linked to Starlink, another Elon Musk-owned company, which provides satellite-based internet services. More than half of Brazilians (55.1%) considered the move an abuse of power, while 44% believed it was a justified response, particularly given the fines imposed on X by the Supreme Court.

Musk’s Popularity Holds in Brazil

Despite criticism over the shutdown, Musk remains popular among Brazilians. The survey found that 52.8% of respondents viewed him positively, while 43.9% held a negative opinion of the billionaire. When asked if Musk was using X to sway public opinion in favor of political interests he supports, 54.3% dismissed the notion, while 41.8% believed it was plausible.

As for usage of X prior to the shutdown, 28.6% of respondents said they were regular users of the platform, while 71.4% did not use it. Since the ban, only 5.6% have continued accessing X through VPNs, while the vast majority (94.4%) have stopped using the platform altogether.