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Brazilian court orders suspension of X

theguardian.com

91–100 of 388 posts

Re: Brazilian court orders suspension of X

#91

The same judge that is responsible for X's suspension ordered Apple and Google to take down VPN apps from their app stores as well. https://web.archive.org/web/20240830201851/https://www.conju... (Page 49 and 50, document is in Portuguese) Brazil is heading down a very dark path.

Microsoft and Apple operating systems include native VPN clients capable of connecting to many commercial and enterprise VPNs. Some routers and mobile hotspots include VPN clients, over which mobile phone traffic can be routed.

Arbitrary traffic can be tunneled over SSH to a low-cost VPS. Web browser extensions can tunnel traffic over SOCKS proxy. Tor/Tails can route traffic globally, without VPN.

Other network arms races: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41396206

Re: Brazilian court orders suspension of X

#93
post #54

“Twitter doesn’t have a choice but to obey local governments. If we don’t obey local government laws, we will get shut down" - Elon Musk on decision to follow Modi's requests for censorship https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/twitt...

This is not the government

The parent is saying Musk complied with these requests elsewhere without complaint, he's only making a fuss about it in Brazil. It's an odd hypocrisy or shift in strategy.

Re: Brazilian court orders suspension of X

#94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow! I had to check with local news, because I couldn't believe it. It checks out, he did impose the fine. (It's R$50k if somebody is as uninformed as I was.)

That is deeply messed up. Wow, that's nearly $9000 USD.

Yep. That is about 2 years of salary at the minimum wage.

Re: Brazilian court orders suspension of X

#95

"People who use VPN to access X will be subject to daily fines of US$8,900" Edit: Thanks for this user https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41404325 for posting the court order and bringing this new information: Apple and Google must remove all VPN apps from their stores! Apple and Google must DELETE all VPN apps already installed on users' phones!!! https://apnews.com/article/brazil-musk-x-suspended-de-moraes...

I think he's just making it up as he goes along now.

In Brazil, a Justice of the Supreme Court has the power to impose fines on people and companies that violate the law. In this case, federal law #12.965.

Re: Brazilian court orders suspension of X

#96
post #54

“Twitter doesn’t have a choice but to obey local governments. If we don’t obey local government laws, we will get shut down" - Elon Musk on decision to follow Modi's requests for censorship https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/twitt...

This is not the government

For the record, if Musk is to be believed, the requests from the government stink IMO. However, the judge making this ruling is part of the government and setting the law, is he not?

Re: Brazilian court orders suspension of X

#97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Musk has been in a feud with this particular judge for a while now. This article covers the beginning of the fight https://apnews.com/article/brazil-musk-x-twitter-moraes-bef0... And this one is an update on how both sides are acting kind of ridiculous https://www.techdirt.com/2024/08/29/elons-standoff-with-braz...

A judge that gets in a "feud" with a litigant, for any reason, is totally unfit to be a judge. "Judicial temperament" is how I've heard lawyers describe the ideal.

To be fair the “feud” wording that’s been used in US media is much more supported by Musk handling this situation by posting weird AI generated memes about the judge than the judge issuing a court order and then imposing penalties for refusing to comply with it.

Re: Brazilian court orders suspension of X

#98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They can't. I can easily use a Brazil endpoint to establish a tunnel elsewhere and browse X, formerly Twitter. I suppose they could try fining the VPN service provider. (But even then they won't be able to prove what's going on.)

Can't you just ban public VPN services in the country? China has nailed it.

China has nailed DPI-based techniques, and I am certain they’re exporting/selling the tech to other nations.

Re: Brazilian court orders suspension of X

#99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How can a court arbitrarily impose fines on users like this?

There's a lot to say about the Brazilian Supreme Court abuses of power. And to be complete on the context, I expect it to have teeth.

Is it even remotely modeled after the US system of checks and balances? How does the court have what also seems like legislative power?

Re: Brazilian court orders suspension of X

#100

“Twitter doesn’t have a choice but to obey local governments. If we don’t obey local government laws, we will get shut down" - Elon Musk on decision to follow Modi's requests for censorship https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/twitt...

I don't know about India, but in Brazil, the requests sent to X (Twitter) have no legal basis, that is, they are illegal by nature. The entire process that resulted in this blocking is secret and not even the defense lawyers had access to the investigation.
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