Elon Musk’s Starlink agrees to block X in Brazil after Supreme Court order

The Brazilian Supreme Court had directed all internet providers to block domestic access to X.

Elon Musk. (File Photo)

Even Starlink users in Brazil will not be able to access X as the satellite internet services provider has said that it will block the social media platform, despite both companies being owned by Elon Musk.

Starlink had initially pushed back against the order issued by Brazil’s Supreme Court to block X in the South American country. “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,” the company said.

The reversal follows a tumultuous week for X and its owner Elon Musk with Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes issuing a nationwide ban against the platform for not complying with the country’s laws. Justice de Moreas’ ruling was further upheld by the country’s top court on Monday, September 2, and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also backed the ban.

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In his ruling, Justice de Moreas had directed all internet providers to block domestic access to X. He also gave Apple and Google five days to take down the X app from their respective app stores.

Starlink has over 2,50,000 customers in Brazil, and its licence to operate in the country would have been revoked if the company had not complied with the Supreme Court order, according to a report by Reuters.

Starlink’s bank accounts frozen

After the ban on X, the feud between Elon Musk and the Brazilian judiciary shifted to Starlink after the top court issued an order to freeze bank accounts and seize assets of the SpaceX subsidiary such as cars, real estate, boats and aircraft.

Justice de Moreas also ordered Brazil’s central bank to prevent the Starlink from sending or receiving money from overseas accounts. These restrictions were reportedly issued in to prevent Starlink from paying for the fines levied on X. In response, Elon Musk said, “Unless the Brazilian government returns the illegally seized property of 𝕏 and SpaceX, we will seek reciprocal seizure of government assets too.”