Elon Musk's Starlink has announced it will block access to his X platform in Brazil, following pressure from the high court of the Portuguese-speaking country.
The satellite internet company under Musk's SpaceX made the announcement on Sept. 2, adding that it would comply with an order from the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF). According to YourNews, the move "comes as part of an escalating conflict between Musk and Brazilian authorities over the spread of misinformation on X."
"We immediately initiated legal proceedings in the [STF] explaining the gross illegality of this order and asking [it] to unfreeze our assets," Starlink wrote on X. "Regardless of the illegal treatment of Starlink in freezing our assets, we are complying with the order to block access to X in Brazil."
Starlink initially resisted the order, stating that it wouldn't restrict access to X unless Brasilia unfroze its assets, – which were ordered frozen by STF Justice Alexandre de Moraes. But on Sept. 2, a panel from the high court upheld the decision to limit access to X. It gave internet service providers and mobile apps until Sept. 4 to enforce the block.
YourNews pointed out that the STF led by de Moraes has been at odds with Musk's companies over their handling of "misinformation," particularly regarding politically sensitive issues. "This development places Starlink in a difficult position, especially given Musk's reputation as a 'free speech absolutist.' Blocking access to X in Brazil appears contradictory to his publicly stated values, yet the legal and financial pressures from the Brazilian government have left little room for maneuver," it added.
Starlink's license to operate in Brazil could be revoked
Meanwhile, Breitbart News pointed out that Starlink has seen rapid growth in Brazil, particularly in rural areas and the Amazon rainforest where traditional internet infrastructure is limited, since it entered the country in 2022. It continued: "Starlink has provided fast internet connections to remote communities – including indigenous tribes – for the first time, significantly impacting their way of life."
But this connectivity provided by Starlink now hangs in the balance after the STF's recent actions. Aside from the ban on X, the high court imposed substantial fines on Musk's companies for failing to remove accounts flagged by Brasilia.
These fines have accumulated to $3 million as per the New York Times, further straining relations between the South African-born technocrat and authorities in Brazil. Musk's companies aren't the only ones at risk of penalties, as users who attempt to access X through a virtual private network could face hefty daily fines. (Related: VPNs from local iOS App Store in Brazil DISAPPEAR amid spat between government and X platform over censorship issues.)
The feud between the STF and X has raised questions about the future of Starlink's operations in Brazil, according to Breitbart News. Carlos Baigori, the chairman of the Brazilian National Telecommunications Agency (ANATEL), has previously warned that the agency could revoke Starlink's license to operate in Brazil.
ANATEL's possible revocation of the satellite internet firm's license could, in theory, prevent the company from offering connections to its Brazilian customers. But if Starlink continues to provide internet service after the revocation, ANATEL could step in and seize the company's equipment at its 23 ground stations in the country. These equipment help improve the quality of its internet connections, Breitbart News pointed out.
"This legal clash highlights the broader tensions between global tech companies and national governments over the regulation of online content," YourNews ultimately remarked. "For Musk, who owns both Starlink and X, the situation in Brazil underscores the complexities of balancing corporate interests with national laws, especially in countries with stringent regulations on 'misinformation.'"
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Watch Alex Jones of InfoWars explain how the Biden administration is using Brazil to target Elon Musk and free speech below.
This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com.
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