Following the ban on the social media platform X in Brazil, interest in online privacy tools has surged.

According to Google Trends data, searches for the term ‘VPN’ have skyrocketed by 434%. This sharp increase highlights the growing concern among Brazilians about their digital freedom and privacy, as they seek ways to maintain access to online platforms amidst rising government restrictions.

Searches began to spike on August 30th, the same day the suspension was implemented by the Supreme Court.

The study by e-commerce hosting provider Hypernode shows that since the suspension was implemented, Google searches for VPNs have risen by 434% over the past seven days, hitting its peak on August 30th.

Along with a peak in searches for VPNs, searches for Bluesky, an alternative social media platform launched by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, have surged by 441% over the last seven days.

Additionally, searches for Threads, the social media network developed by Meta for Instagram users and seen as a competitor to X, have surged by 332% over the past seven days, peaking on August 31st.

Searches for Elon Musk in the country have also surged by a massive 273%, over the past seven days. Searches also peaked on August 31st at more than ten times higher than the average search volume.

In addition to searches for Elon Musk surging, searches for Alexandre de Moraes, the Minister of the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil, have hit an all-time high, rising by 315% in the last seven days, also peaking on August 31st.

Speaking on the findings, Milan Bosman, Commercial Director of Hypernode:

“The surge in searches related to this controversy indicates that the country’s 22 million X users are unhappy with the platform's suspension and are seeking ways to get around it. This comes despite warnings from the Supreme Court that using a VPN to access the platform could result in significant fines.

“Additionally, users are actively searching for alternative platforms that offer a similar experience, highlighting the platform's significant role in the digital lives of Brazilian residents. Although an official ban has not yet been implemented, the suspension has sparked considerable uproar among users.”