X Changes Brazil Election Algorithm, and the US Calls It Censorship
Brazil · Politics
Key Facts
- —The change From August 16, 2026, X stops recommending official candidates’ posts to people who do not follow them.
- —The reason X says it is complying with a Brazilian electoral-court rule, TSE Resolution 23.610/2019, as amended.
- —The scope Roughly 665 registered candidate accounts are affected; nothing is deleted or suspended, and followers still see everything.
- —The US reaction A senior State Department official, Sarah Rogers, said the move ‘makes explicit the censorship imposed by Brazil.’
- —The backdrop X was blocked in Brazil from August 30 to October 8, 2024, then restored after it paid fines and complied.
The tweak follows an electoral-court rule, yet a US official calls it proof of censorship. Putting Washington and Brasília at odds again.
A change to the Brazil election algorithm on X has reopened a bitter fight between Washington and Brasília. On August 16, 2026, X stopped recommending posts from official candidates to users who do not already follow them.
What X Actually Changed
X updated the open-source code that decides what shows up in your feed. It added a module, nicknamed ‘Brazil2026ElectionFilter,’ aimed only at Brazil’s coming vote.
The filter keeps posts from official candidate accounts out of the ‘For You’ feed for non-followers. However, it does not touch the accounts themselves.
The Brazil Election Algorithm Rule Behind the Move
The Brazil election algorithm change is not a free choice by X. Instead, the company says it is following a rule from the country’s electoral court, known as the TSE.
That rule, Resolution 23.610/2019 as later amended, tells platforms to leave registered candidates out of their recommendation systems. Paid, clearly labeled ads are the main exception.
Who and What Is Affected
About 665 candidate accounts registered with the electoral court fall under the filter. Their posts, reposts, and quotes are simply not pushed to strangers.
Still, the posts stay fully visible on each candidate’s profile. Followers keep seeing them, and anyone can open a profile directly to read along.
Why the Electoral Court Wrote the Rule
Brazil’s electoral court says its goal is a level playing field. It wants to stop algorithms from quietly amplifying some candidates over others during the campaign.
The court frames this as normal regulation of election advertising. Because of that, officials there reject the idea that it amounts to silencing anyone.
The US ‘Censorship’ Complaint
The pushback came fast from Washington. Sarah Rogers, the State Department’s under secretary for public diplomacy, reacted on the same day the code went public.
She wrote that the transparency was welcome, yet it ‘makes explicit the censorship imposed by Brazil. ‘ In short, she cast a Brazilian rule, not X’s own policy, as the problem.
How Brazil Sees It
Brazilian authorities draw a sharp line between regulation and censorship. As a result, they insist that enforcing election law is not the same as suppressing speech.
Officials note that no account is banned and no post is erased. Therefore, they argue, candidates can still speak freely to anyone who chooses to follow them.
A Fight That Started in 2024
This clash has deep roots. In 2024, Justice Alexandre de Moraes blocked X across Brazil after the company ignored court orders.
The block ran from August 30 to October 8, 2024. It ended only after X paid about 28 million reais (roughly US$5.1 million) in fines and named a local representative.
Washington’s Wider Campaign
The censorship charge did not start this month. In February 2025, the State Department called Brazil’s fines on US firms incompatible with democratic values.
Later, in July 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked visas for Moraes and allied judges. Meanwhile, Brazil accused Washington of distorting its court rulings.
The Wider 2026 Rulebook for Big Tech
The candidate filter is one piece of a larger effort. For the 2026 vote, the electoral court has also tightened rules on artificial intelligence.
New measures ban AI-generated political content just before and after voting day. In addition, platforms must file detailed compliance plans with the court.
What It Means for Voters and Candidates
For everyday users, the feed will feel quieter on politics. You will still find candidates, but only if you seek them out or follow them.
For candidates, organic reach to strangers shrinks during the campaign. So paid, labeled ads and a loyal follower base matter more than ever this cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did X delete or ban any candidates?
No. X only stopped recommending candidate posts to non-followers. The accounts, profiles, and posts all remain live and visible to followers.
Why did X make this change?
X says it is complying with a Brazilian electoral-court rule, Resolution 23.610/2019 as amended, which keeps registered candidates out of recommendation feeds.
Who called it censorship?
Sarah Rogers, the US State Department’s under secretary for public diplomacy, said on August 16, 2026 that the rule ‘makes explicit the censorship imposed by Brazil.
Is X still available in Brazil?
Yes. X was blocked in 2024 but restored in October 2024, and it operates normally in Brazil in 2026 under the electoral rules.
Connected Coverage
Sources: Folha de S.Paulo; O Globo; Estado de Minas; Superior Electoral Court of Brazil (TSE); U.S. Department of State.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error
Read More from The Rio Times