On Friday, Aug. 30, Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court judge ordered an immediate ban on X. The move came after the company refused to appoint a legal representative amid allegations of misinformation and hate speech.
Most ISPs in Brazil complied with the order. Starlink, which X owner Elon Musk controls, defied the authorities last Sunday, saying it wouldn’t block the social media platform until the Brazilian government released its frozen assets.
Starlink Will Finally Comply With the Court Order
The satellite internet company’s attempt to circumvent the suspension of X, the social media platform Musk bought for $44 billion in 2022, lasted just 48 hours. As reported by Reuters, Starlink announced on Tuesday that it will comply with the court order banning X in Brazil.
“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,” Starlink said in a post on X. Brazil’s telecommunications agency Anatel confirmed that Starlink had begun denying access to X.
The Brazilian government blocked Starlink’s bank accounts in the country on Aug. 24 on the orders of Judge Alexandre de Moraes, the same magistrate who ordered the ban on X in the country. According to the court, the move was in response to collecting unpaid fines from X.
The legal framework is complicated. As CNN Brazil reports, Moraes describes Starlink and X as a “de facto economic group,” according to an English translation provided by Google. Although they’re different companies, both are under Musk’s control—Starlink is a subsidiary of SpaceX.
Musk owns about 40% of SpaceX shares but holds 79% of the company’s voting rights. While the billionaire controls X at will, he doesn’t own 100% of the company: The social media platform has more than 100 owners.
Starlink’s failure to comply with the court order in Brazil could have had severe consequences for the company. Anatel president Carlos Baigorri told Brazilian media outlet Globo that the government could revoke the satellite internet company’s concession, according to an English translation provided by Google.
Revoking the company’s concession would have included warnings and fines and ended with the loss of Starlink’s license to provide telecommunications services in Brazil. Starlink has complied with the court order, so it’s managed to stave off these consequences for now.
Image | Steve Sorensen Networth
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