Starlink backs down and says it will comply with the order to block X in Brazil
Starlink, a satellite internet company founded by Elon Musk, backed down and announced in a statement that it will block X in Brazil, in compliance with the STF's determination.
The initial refusal to suspend X could cause other sanctions for Starlink, such as being prevented from continuing to operate in the country - Photo Reproduction / Getty Images
Starlink, billionaire Elon Musk's satellite internet company, said this Tuesday (03) it will follow the Brazilian court order to block access to platform X (formerly known as Twitter) in the national territory. The decision is surprising, given the company's previous position, which had expressed resistance to suspending access to the social network, as requested by the Brazilian judiciary. Initially, Starlink showed hesitation in complying with the court order, highlighting that, although both companies belong to Elon Musk's group, they operate differently in Brazil.
Last Sunday (01), the company had stated that it would not comply with the determination of Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), who ordered the operators to suspend the social network. According to Reuters, Starlink stated in a post on X: "Regardless of the illegal treatment received with the freezing of our assets, we are complying with the order to block access to X in Brazil."
Starlink
Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX, Elon Musk's space exploration company, offers internet services through a vast network of satellites. Its mission is to serve people in remote areas, such as much of the Amazon, where there is no cable and pole infrastructure. With more than 6,000 satellites launched to date, according to experts who monitor space, Starlink stands out as the largest satellite constellation in the world, serving users in 37 countries.
Starlink satellites are in low orbit to ensure a fast connection between space and the Earth's surface. SpaceX, responsible for launching the satellites, uses the Falcon 9 rocket for this. Starlink, a satellite internet provider, has more than 200 thousand users in Brazil, which corresponds to 1% of total access in the country, according to the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel).
Among its Brazilian clients are mainly small companies, schools and emergency services. Public bodies, such as the Armed Forces and electoral courts, also have contracts with the company, according to Agência Brasil. Furthermore, the Brazilian Navy uses Starlink internet on some of its main ships, in a project of experimental interest for Musk's technology.
Starlink's change of stance
The company had refused to comply with Moraes' order while its accounts remained blocked in Brazil. The blockade was imposed by Moraes, hours after the social network X, which no longer has a representative in Brazil. In the decision, Moraes considered that the two companies belong to the same economic group led by Musk.
X had been refusing to restrict profiles accused of threatening democratic institutions and accumulated R$ 18,3 millions in fines owed to the Brazilian courts for non-compliance with these orders. On August 17, amid growing tension with the STF, the company closed its office in Brazil, fired its employees and removed its representative. The social network did not meet the 24-hour deadline given by Moraes, which began on Thursday night (August 29), to appoint a new person in charge in the country.
As a result, the minister ordered on Friday (August 30) that operators across Brazil suspend access to X. Starlink requested the unblocking of its accounts, but the request was denied by the STF. The company missed a second deadline to appeal this Tuesday (03). Instead of contesting Moraes' decision, Starlink decided to file a writ of mandamus, an inadequate procedural tool to reverse monocratic decisions in the STF.
