X banned in Brazil: How NFL reporters covering game are getting info to fans

Social media is a great way for reporters to disseminate information around sporting events, not only to engage the audience about things such as injuries but to tip viewers to things they may not see during a broadcast.

The NFL is making its first foray into Brazil for Friday's matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers in Sao Paulo.

However, reporters wanting to get information out can't use X, formerly known as Twitter, as the microblogging social networking service is currently banned in the country .

The shutdown of X in Brazil began on Aug. 31, and anyone trying to circumvent the rules and access the website using a virtual private network faces up to a $9,000 fine.

Issues between X CEO Elon Musk and the Brazilian Supreme Court came to a head when Musk missed a deadline imposed by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes to name a legal representative in the country.

The deadline passed and the suspension of X was imposed.

"Elon Musk showed his total disrespect for Brazilian sovereignty and, in particular, for the judiciary, setting himself up as a true supranational entity and immune to the laws of each country," Moraes said in his decision.

Earlier this year, Moraes ordered X to block certain accounts implicated in probes of so-called digital militias accused of spreading distorted news and hate. Musk, denouncing the order as censorship, responded by closing the platform's offices in Brazil.

According to the Athletic, many of the sports writers who have made their way to Brazil are relying on others to inform fans.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: X banned in Brazil: How NFL reporters covering game are getting info to fans