In a dramatic escalation of a legal dispute with social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Brazilian Supreme Court has frozen the bank accounts of Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink. This move comes after the court, which is leading efforts to combat misinformation and hate speech on social media in the country, took action against Starlink on Thursday.
Elon Musk responded by publicly criticizing the court and its Justice Alexandre de Moraes, calling him a “dictator”. He expressed strong concern over the “illegal action” taken against Starlink, arguing that it unfairly punishes other shareholders and the Brazilian people. Musk clarified that SpaceX and X are separate entities with distinct shareholders, emphasizing that he owns about 40% of SpaceX. He explicitly stated on X (formerly Twitter): “SpaceX and X are two completely different companies with different shareholders. I own about 40% of SpaceX, so this absolutely illegal action by the dictator @alexandre improperly punishes other shareholders and the people of Brazil.”
The details surrounding the specific dispute between Starlink and the Brazilian authorities remain unclear. However, Musk’s strong reaction and the Supreme Court’s action highlight the increasing tensions between tech giants and governments seeking to regulate online content and ensure the safety and integrity of their digital environments.
