Starlink is now backtracking from its previous stance – now, the satellite broadband service announced that it is complying with a Brazilian Supreme Court order to block access to the social media platform X in Brazil. This development follows a period of barbs and legal tussles between Starlink, X, Elon Musk, and Brazilian authorities.
The dispute between Starlink and Brazilian authorities commenced in a broader legal and political conflict involving X, the social media platform also owned by Musk. Earlier this year, Alexandre de Moraes issued a series of orders targeting X for failing to comply with requests to block accounts allegedly spreading misinformation and hate speech. The platform’s resistance to these orders, including its failure to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, led to escalating measures by the Brazilian judiciary.
In August, Moraes ordered a freeze on Starlink’s financial accounts in Brazil, citing the company’s potential role in facilitating X’s non-compliance with court orders. The freeze aimed to ensure that X would pay the fines imposed for its alleged infractions. Starlink’s initial response to this order was one of defiance. The company initially informed Brazil’s telecommunications regulator, Anatel, that it would not block access to X unless its assets were unfrozen. Anatel later verified that Starlink has started to cut access to the popular micro-blogging site, which means that Starlink’s license to operate in the country will not be revoked.
Now, in a notable reversal, Starlink announced on Tuesday that it would comply with the Supreme Court’s order to block access to X in Brazil. The company’s decision came after significant pressure and the imminent threat of sanctions from Anatel. Starlink’s compliance statement, posted on X, acknowledged the “gross illegality” of the order freezing its assets. It added that, for now, it will continue to pursue all legal avenues. “Regardless of the illegal treatment of Starlink in freezing of our assets, we are complying with the order to block access to X in Brazil. We continue to pursue all legal avenues, as are others who agree that @alexandre’s recent orders violate the Brazilian constitution,” Starlink announced. The @alexandre in question refers to Moraes.
The decision to block X has significant implications for users in Brazil, particularly those who rely on Starlink’s satellite internet service. With over 225,000 users in Brazil, Starlink plays a crucial role in providing internet access to remote and underserved regions, including the Amazon rainforest. To add to this, the blocking of X also represents a substantial inconvenience for these users, who may face disruptions in accessing the platform. Users using VPN have already been warned that they could be subject to daily fines of 50,000 reais (approximately $9,000).
