Some Brazilian users regained access to X on Wednesday despite a nationwide ban put in place by the country’s Supreme Court, a reunion apparently resulting from the social network changing the way its servers are accessed.

But the renewed access may be short-lived.

Late last month, Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered X blocked nationwide after months of tension with the site’s billionaire owner Elon Musk over free speech, far-right accounts and misinformation. De Moraes also set fines for anyone using virtual private networks, or VPNs, to access the platform.

That rendered X effectively inaccessible in the country until Wednesday, when an Associated Press journalist was among those who regained access. The number of X posts made in Brazil rose from 939,000 Tuesday to more than 2 million by late afternoon Wednesday, data analysis company Bites said.

Experts examining X’s IP addresses—numeric designations that identifies sites’ location on the internet—said there are indications the company has begun routing users through the servers of Cloudflare, a content delivery network, en route to its own.

“The service that Elon Musk’s social network has started using works like a ‘digital shield’ that protects the company’s servers,” Pedro Diogenes, Latin America’s technical director for CLM, a distributor that focuses on cybersecurity. It acts as a proxy between users and X’s servers, filtering traffic and preventing the original IP address from being recognized, Diogenes told the AP.

Brazil’s telecommunications regulator Anatel said it is looking into the situation and will report its findings to the Supreme Court, noting that there has been no change to de Moraes’ ruling. A panel of fellow justices later upheld his decision, though it hasn’t yet gone before the court’s full bench. His fine for VPN users in particular has faced blowback, including from the nation’s bar association.

The Supreme Court declined to comment on possible actions it could take. X said on its platform that the shutdown in Brazil affected service to Latin America as a whole, so it swapped network providers.

“This change resulted in an inadvertent and temporary service restoration to Brazilian users,” the Wednesday evening statement said. “We expect the platform to be inaccessible again shortly.”

Earlier Wednesday, former President Jair Bolsonaro celebrated the return of the social network with a post from his account. He has sided with Musk in the feud with de Moraes and sought to portray the ban as censorship from an overzealous judge.

Some Brazilian X users also trumpeted the platform’s return—with several addressing de Moraes directly, vowing that they weren’t using a VPN. There have been no reports of fines being levied against people using VPNs.

Cloudflare, a security company that prides itself on providing services to websites regardless of their content, has a history of protecting sites other companies won’t touch. But only to a point. In 2017, for instance, it dropped the neo-Nazi website Daily Stormer as a customer following a deadly clash at a white-nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. And in 2022, it dropped the notorious stalking and harassment site Kiwi Farms citing an “immediate threat to human life.”

But X is a mainstream social media platform—even if it may be home to some extremist content—and it is not yet clear whether Brazil’s ban would be enough for San Francisco-based Cloudflare to abandon it.

Cloudflare has a reputation for cooperating with governments, however, and so may comply with an order from the Supreme Court to cease serving as X’s proxy, David Nemer, who specializes in the anthropology of technology at the University of Virginia, told the AP.

Ordering internet service providers to block Cloudflare would be impossible, since thousands of Brazilian companies depend on it, Nemer previously wrote on Bluesky, another social media platform.

A person close to Cloudflare, who was not authorized to speak publicly about a business relationship, said the network services provider did not do anything specifically to help X get around Brazil’s ban. Rather, X recently switched to Cloudflare from another provider, which could be a reason the block is not working.

This person added that the workaround likely won’t last long.

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Part of many people’s pandemic experience included working from home. Even after lockdowns, videoconferencing remains a big part of life as people continue to work remotely, connect with families and friends online, and attend virtual events hosted on videoconferencing platforms.

Spending hours on video calls, however, can be exhausting and manifest as physical, emotional, or cognitive tiredness—a phenomenon known as videoconferencing fatigue (VF). Now, researchers in Singapore have asked if a relationship between virtual backgrounds and VF exists and what the underlying mechanisms are.

“We show that the use of different types and contents of virtual backgrounds can contribute to VF,” said Heng Zhang, co-author of the study published in Frontiers in Psychology and a researcher at the Nanyang Technological University Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information.

“Users who utilize video virtual backgrounds experience higher levels of VF compared to those who use image or blurred virtual backgrounds.”

Tiring backgrounds

The researchers carried out a survey with more than 600 participants in which they asked people whether they use virtual backgrounds, and what type of background (static image, blurred image, video, or no virtual background) they choose.

The researchers also measured VF using a five-point scale that indicated levels of general, visual, social, motivational, and emotional fatigue. Participants were aged between 22 and 76 years and worked from home around three days a week.

The results showed that participants who use video backgrounds experienced the highest levels of VF. Users who use blurred backgrounds also experienced higher VF than those who use static images.

“Our brains automatically react to new information in the environment. This consumes cognitive resources, which then increases cognitive load and consequently leads to VF,” Zhang explained.

The key, the researchers said, is how much new information is contained in the background.

“Image backgrounds initially present new information, but users might gradually shift their attention elsewhere. Blurred backgrounds don’t introduce new information, but occasionally users may catch glimpses of the real environment, which presents new information. Video backgrounds, however, continuously introduce new information, constantly interrupting users’ attention and putting a demand on cognitive resources.”

Virtual nature

In addition to the type of background, the environment that is depicted in the background can also influence VF.

“Users who use nature-themed backgrounds report lower levels of VF compared to others,” Zhang said. Other backgrounds, such as office settings or public spaces can increase users’ pressure to self-present as if they actually were in one of those settings, leading to increased fatigue.

“In a work setting, a nature-themed image background might be the ideal choice,” Zhang pointed out.

When being on calls in relaxed settings, participants who used lighthearted and funny backgrounds reported the lowest VF levels. It is important that users choose backgrounds appropriately, as different contexts call for different types of backgrounds, the authors said.

Making thoughtful choices could not only enhance meeting effectiveness, but also improve the users’ psychological experience, reducing the fatigue associated with videoconferencing.

Optimizing video calls

Their study provides a scientific foundation for further optimizing the videoconferencing experience and helping users make more informed choices, the researchers said. These insights may be especially valuable to users who use video calls in their work and could help them maintain well-being while maximizing the benefits of this way of working.

Nevertheless, the authors said that further study is needed to focus on how different age groups and video call purposes influence the relationship between virtual backgrounds and VF. In addition—and despite the fact that many people spend significant amounts of time watching themselves when on a video call—the role of other users’ backgrounds on VF needs to be investigated.

“A more comprehensive understanding of the role of virtual backgrounds in videoconferencing could provide more targeted recommendations for future research and practice,” concluded Zhang.

The idea of a “right to disconnect” from work is gaining traction worldwide, with countries like France and Spain enacting laws to protect workers from the demands of the digital age. The UK government has also indicated it will do the same.

In Australia, recent legislation aims to give employees in large- or medium-sized businesses the right to switch off from attempts to contact them outside work hours. And the same law will be applied to small businesses (fewer than 15 employees) in August 2025. But is it enough?

We conducted a research study into how employees perceive and respond to the demands of constant connectivity. We focused on academics from Australia, using in-depth interviews about their experiences.

Our findings reveal that our ability to disconnect from work is complicated, and depends on our psychology. The way workers perceive constant connectivity significantly influences their ability to disengage.

Among our participants, we found three distinct models of thinking about constant connectivity. These models affected how workers felt about making themselves available to work, and as such had a bearing on how good they were at unplugging. This suggests that being able to disconnect goes beyond just work demands. Our psychology plays a big part too.

Three perceptions of constant connectivity

1. Constant connectivity as a resource

A number of employees perceive constant connectivity as a tool that empowers them, making it easier to collaborate with colleagues, respond quickly to work tasks, access real-time data, and work flexibly from different locations.

2. Constant connectivity as a challenge

Others view constant connectivity as a burden, leading to increased workload, pressure to respond immediately and a sense of being overwhelmed by the need to always be available.

3. Constant connectivity as a balance

This group recognises both the benefits and drawbacks. They mainly experience the mental challenge of balancing the advantages of flexibility and access with the struggles of distraction and overload. However, they often find it difficult to maintain this balance.

Managing the boundaries

The model that you most closely align with significantly influences how you manage the boundaries between work and personal life.

The first group, which perceives constant connectivity as a resource, reported that they can manage it by regulating their availability. By setting personal boundaries and being disciplined about when and how they connect, they are able to maintain productivity without letting work overwhelm their personal time.

However, there’s still a risk of work-life conflict if they don’t uphold the boundaries.

The second group, which views it as a challenge, may experience stress and anxiety. They may feel unable to escape work demands. This group feels that the system itself and the unwritten norms put pressure on them to remain connected outside work hours.

Such pressure can make people feel obliged to be constantly available. This makes it even more challenging for workers to disengage and maintain a healthy balance between their professional and personal lives.

The third group faces a unique struggle, navigating the tension between the benefits and drawbacks of constant connectivity. While they may recognise the importance of setting boundaries, they often find it challenging to maintain them.

Strategies like turning off notifications at home or setting specific times for checking emails are helpful, but the underlying pressure to stay connected can make these difficult to stick to. This pressure is often reinforced by workplace norms and expectations, which can make employees feel guilty or anxious about disconnecting, even outside of work hours.

These findings have important implications for the right-to-disconnect movement. While legislation is a crucial step, it’s not a silver bullet. The right to disconnect is essential, but simply implementing policies and laws isn’t enough to change entrenched behavior and unwritten norms.

For meaningful change, companies must encourage a culture that supports and enforces these rules, ensuring that employees feel that it’s acceptable to set boundaries without fear of repercussions.

This means valuing work-life balance and supporting employees in setting boundaries for themselves. It also means providing training not only for employees but also for managers, who can play a big part in influencing unwritten norms. And it involves providing resources, like contingency cover for when someone is off or flexible working if they have an unforeseen domestic situation, for example.

The right to disconnect is not just about legal protections. It’s about changing managers’ mindsets and empowering employees to take control of their work-life boundaries. By understanding the complexities of constant connectivity, organizations can create a healthier and more sustainable work environment for everyone.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

A new study by Zahra Sharifonnasabi, Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Co-Director of the MINDS Research Group at Queen Mary University of London, sheds light on the link between “home” and psychological well-being for people who frequently move across countries. The work is published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology.

The study, “Home and Psychological Well-being in Global Consumer Mobility,” explores how individuals who travel or relocate often—like expatriates, digital nomads, or frequent international travelers—create and experience different types of “home.” These findings offer important insights into how this impacts their mental well-being, sense of ownership, and identity.

Global consumer mobility refers to a lifestyle where individuals frequently move across borders for work, study, or personal reasons. This group often faces unique challenges, such as adjusting to new cultures and living environments, which can affect how they feel about “home” and their psychological well-being.

Different types of home

The study identified four main types of home, each with its own psychological benefits. These challenge the traditional idea of home as just one place:

• Emotional Home: A place that provides a deep sense of belonging and stability.
• Home Away from Home: Temporary comfort through familiar rituals and routines.
• Base of Operation: A location that supports work productivity and provides professional stability.
• Home on the Road: A flexible, temporary setup that offers a sense of groundedness while traveling.

These types of home reflect the fragmented and ever-changing nature of home in the lives of globally mobile individuals.

How people cope with global mobility

The study also looked at how people manage the challenges of constantly moving. Many rely on resources in the marketplace—like services, brands, or even local businesses—to help make different places feel like home. These “commercial friendships” and familiar consumption habits play a crucial role in easing the mental strain of mobility.

One study participant, Adam, a consultant, shared his experience: “I have a flat in London, which is my primary home. I spend about 60-70% of my time there. In Berlin, we have a house built in 1966 where my wife lives, and that’s my emotional home, where I want to retire. Dubai, where I work part-time, is just a place to get the job done. It can be challenging… It’s an isolated life in London or Dubai, as everyone is so focused on work. I’ve tried to connect more, like having coffee with a colleague or joining a choir. It helps.”

What HR professionals can learn

This research offers valuable takeaways for HR professionals managing internationally mobile employees:

• Understanding Needs: Recognizing the different types of homes and their benefits can help HR understand the diverse needs of globally mobile workers.
• Support Systems: Providing resources that help employees manage multiple homes and offering access to local services can improve well-being.
• Flexible Work Policies: Offering remote work or short-term assignments that fit employees’ mobile lifestyles can boost productivity and satisfaction.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Promoting an inclusive environment where cultural differences are valued can help internationally mobile employees feel more at home.
• Mental Health Support: Offering mental health resources tailored to the unique challenges of global mobility can help employees maintain well-being.

Zahra Sharifonnasabi explains, “Our study challenges the traditional idea of home. It shows that home is more complex and multifaceted, especially for people who move frequently. These insights are crucial for understanding their well-being and helping HR professionals manage a mobile workforce.”

The study redefines what “home” means in today’s world of constant mobility and offers practical ways to help people cope with the challenges it brings.