Starlink surrenders: X will be blocked in Brazil

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Elon Musk is changing course in the conflict with Brazilian justice.

Starlink has unexpectedly changed its position in the ongoing confrontation with the Chief Justice of Brazil, Alexandre de Moraes. Previously, the company refused to restrict access to the social network X (formerly Twitter) in Brazil until its financial assets were unfrozen. Now Starlink has announced the "execution of the order" to block X in the country.

The conflict erupted after Judge de Moranes imposed a ban on X due to the spread of misinformation and simultaneously issued an order prohibiting Starlink from conducting financial transactions. The decision was intended to force X to pay a $3 million fine for refusing to block accounts flagged as problematic by the Brazilian government.

In a statement, Starlink said: "We immediately initiated legal proceedings in the Supreme Court of Brazil, explaining the gross illegality of this order and asking the court to unfreeze our assets. Despite the illegal treatment of our company, expressed in the freezing of our assets, we are complying with the order to block access to X in Brazil".

Starlink's decision to block X puts the company in a mixed position, especially given that Elon Musk often claims to be a supporter of absolute freedom of speech.

On Monday, a panel of the Supreme Court of Brazil upheld the decision to restrict access to X. ISPs and mobile app stores are given until September 4 to block X. Users who continue to access the platform through a virtual private network (VPN) face large daily fines.

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Musk called the judge Voldemort: Billionaire lost the fight for freedom of speech in Brazil
Musk does not give up, despite the confiscation of millions of dollars.

Brazil's Supreme Court has ordered the recovery of more than $3 million from Elon Musk's X and Starlink companies as payment of fines imposed on platform X. Judge Alexandre de Moraes ordered the seizure of $1.3 million from company X's bank account and $2 million from Starlink's account. These fines are related to the platform's refusal to appoint a legal representative to engage with the Brazilian authorities on the removal of accounts spreading disinformation in support of former President Jair Bolsonaro.

The problem arose because X did not comply with government demands to remove certain accounts that are associated with so-called "digital militias." These groups, de Moraes said, systematically spread false information, including allegations of election fraud, in which Bolsonaro was defeated. They also supported an attempt to seize power in Brazil by force, when Bolsonaro's supporters stormed the country's Congress building, demanding a military coup.

After the companies paid the fines, the Supreme Court said the accounts had been unblocked, but the very fact of the confiscation indicates that Musk will have to deal with serious financial issues in the fight for his position on free speech. While Musk advocates for the protection of free speech online, his actions and statements often contradict this, as was the case with content restrictions at the request of the authorities in Turkey and India.

In particular, Musk criticized the actions of the Brazilian judge, arguing that those whose activity on the platform was restricted were not convicted of crimes, and their blocking is a form of censorship. In response, Musk publicly compared de Moraes to Voldemort from the Harry Potter universe, arguing that the judge's actions violate the laws of Brazil and could lead to his arrest.

Interestingly, despite the weak connection between X and Starlink, Judge de Moraes involved both companies in this conflict. Starlink, which provides satellite internet, initially refused to comply with a court order to block X in Brazil, but was later forced to change its position when its license to operate in the country was threatened. Other ISPs in Brazil quickly complied with the court's decision to avoid similar sanctions.

This case sparked discussions among lawyers, who questioned the legality of the court's decision to force Starlink to pay fines imposed on X. Experts note that although the companies are owned by the same owner, they are independent legal entities, and Starlink should not be held responsible for X's actions.

 

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X in Brazil: An unexpected twist in a months-long standoff

Elon Musk has unexpectedly changed his tactics in a dispute with the authorities.

Elon Musk and his company X made concessions to the Supreme Court of Brazil, agreeing to comply with the latter's order aimed at combating the spread of disinformation. According to Reuters, the company has already sent a petition to the court to lift the blocking of the platform.

The conflict with the court lasted more than five months. Musk called the actions of the Brazilian authorities "censorship" and opposed the blocking of the platform, which was introduced at the end of August. Despite this, Musk's representatives in Brazil expect that the former Twitter will be unblocked in the coming days.

In a recent statement, X noted that access to the platform is "essential for democracy to thrive" and that the company respects the sovereignty of the countries where it operates. The Global X team added that it intends to protect freedom of speech and legal processes within the legal framework.

The blocking of the service was initiated by Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who actively opposes attempts to undermine democracy and use disinformation for political purposes. Moraes banned X's activities after the closure of the company's offices in Brazil. The court also affected Musk's other project, Starlink, freezing his accounts and provoking a sharp reaction from the entrepreneur, who called the judge a "dictator."

The Brazilian conflict has become one of many in which Musk has been involved in recent months. For example, his position on the side of freedom of speech faced pressure from the governments of Australia and Great Britain, seeking to limit the spread of false information on the Internet.

The Brazilian market is one of the largest for X, accounting for around 21.5 million users. Previously, the company tried to circumvent the ban by providing access to the platform through cloud services, but this attempt was unsuccessful after Judge Moraes' threat to impose significant fines. At the end of last week, the company compromised by appointing a local representative in accordance with the court's requirements.

In a document sent to the Supreme Court, X reported the suspension of nine accounts under investigation for hate speech and disinformation. Former Brazilian Ambassador to the United States Rubens Barbosa praised the change in the company's position, stressing that laws must be observed, even if they are not agreed with.

Two sources familiar with Musk's plans claim that after X's return to Brazil, the entrepreneur will change tactics, trying to follow the laws of the country, although he intends to continue to defend his position in the courts.