Brazil is charting new territory—at least for a democratic country—with plans to fine users nearly $9,000 per day if they use VPNs to access X.

Brazil has drawn widespread criticism following Justice Alexandre de Moraes’ decision to ban X from the country. The decision was framed in the context of fighting extremism and content moderation, but has been criticized for allegedly going beyond the law and cross into illegal censorship.

While it is not unheard of for countries to ban apps that lawmakers view as dangerous, Brazil is taking the unusual step of punishing users who trying to continue using X.

As a point of comparison, although the US voted to ban TikTok, there was never any attempt to punish users who found ways to continue using it. Fining users who continue using X is a bold move, and one that could ultimately cost Brazilian lawmakers if the move angers voters enough.

In the meantime, Brazil is positioning itself as a clear outlier among democratic countries, with a move some believe is squarely in the playbook of authoritarian regimes.