Internet users in Brazil still have some excellent options regarding reputable VPNs, but that situation could change overnight.

Social media giant X (formerly Twitter) has officially shut down its operations in Brazil following a months-long legal battle with the country's authorities. The social media network was accused of not doing enough to counter disinformation after being asked to block certain accounts accused of spreading fake news and hate messages.

Even though X has shut down its operations, the app remains available in Brazil. However, this latest development has caused quite a commotion among Internet users, who are now massively turning to VPN providers. As noted by Proton VPN, this free-of-charge provider has registered a 580% increase in the number of sign-ups in the last couple of days.

However, reports are circulating that obtaining a VPN in Brazil has become an issue. More precisely, some of the top-rated VPN services can no longer be downloaded from the Brazilian iOS App Store. These apps are marked as "purchased" when an install is attempted without an option for users to download them onto their iOS/iPadOS devices.

The most notable VPNs affected by this change are Proton VPN, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Kaspersky VPN, TunnelBear, VyprVPN, and more. Security researchers at Top10VPN have created a table with nearly 40 VPN apps, which are now reportedly censored.

The good news is that some VPNs continue to function without issues in Brazil. These include CyberGhost VPN, Private Internet Access, Windscribe, PureVPN, IPVanish, and others.

Even though it's not usual for Apple to remove VPNs to comply with censorship, as happened recently in Russia, there's no official confirmation about the latest events in Brazil. Some speculate that technical issues prevent the Brazilian App Store from working, while others are sure Apple is acting upon Brazilian orders.