The story of the shutdown of Elon Musk’s X in the world’s fourth-largest democracy resounded around the world. Opinions about the suspension were divided along familiar political fault lines in the polarized nation. As is often the case, that makes coverage especially thorny, and accuracy and nuance are imperative. Collaborating with AP’s technology team, the Brazil team provided insight into the Supreme Court judge’s controversial authority to issue an individual decision with far-reaching implications, particularly with an in-depth explainer with Barbara Ortutay ahead of the decision. Stories about the suspension included perspectives from legal experts explaining why Musk’s claims of authoritarian censorship are unfounded, but showed how the justice may have overstepped in other ways.
Although the decision came down on a late Friday afternoon, a piece to camera narrated by Brazil News Director David Biller was recorded and transmitted to clients within half an hour of the decision’s announcement. An additional video created by Felipe Campos Mello feature thoughtful vox pop reactions.
Readership reflected the vast interest in the story — especially the story by Gabriela Sá Pessoa about everyday Brazilians reckoning with the loss of the social media platform that left them feeling disconnected from the world.
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