Musk's Empire: X and Starlink in the Spotlight

Elon Musk's companies (X, Starlink) are involved

Elon Musk has publicly opposed liberal governments' attempts to curb misinformation on X, but his platform has shown willingness to comply...

Elon Musk's X and Starlink face penalties in Brazil amid free speech debate and misinformation concerns.

The Brazilian Supreme Court has lifted the freeze on the bank accounts of X, Elon Musk's social media platform, and Starlink, his satellite internet company, after the payment of outstanding fines totaling over $3 million. Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the release of the accounts following the settlement of the debt.

In a statement released on Friday, the Supreme Court announced that the Brazilian government had successfully retrieved 7.2 million Brazilian reais (approximately $1.3 million) from an X bank account and 10.9 million Brazilian reais (around $1.9 million) from a Starlink account to cover the owed fines. This payment led to the unfreezing of the accounts, allowing the companies to access their funds once again.

“After the payment of the full amount that was owed, Justice [de Moraes] considered there was no need to keep the bank accounts frozen and ordered the immediate unfreezing of bank accounts/financial assets,” the statement said.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes had earlier sparked controversy by ordering a ban on Elon Musk's social media platform, X, in Brazil. The move came after Musk refused to comply with court directives to remove accounts allegedly spreading misinformation.

Additionally, X failed to meet a legal requirement to appoint a local representative in Brazil, missing the designated deadline. This non-compliance, combined with Musk's refusal to remove problematic accounts, led to De Moraes' initial decision to block the platform in the country.

Elon Musk's dual ownership of X and Starlink led to uncertainty after Brazil banned X. Initially, Starlink indicated non-compliance, but both companies ultimately faced penalties, sparking criticism from legal analysts who argue that Starlink, as a separate entity, should not be penalized.

Musk's reaction to the ban was characteristic of his controversial style, as he slammed Justice Alexandre de Moraes as an “evil dictator.” Musk has a history of promoting far-right conspiracy theories and false election fraud claims, raising concerns about his role in spreading misinformation.

Elon Musk has publicly opposed liberal governments' attempts to curb misinformation on X, but his platform has shown willingness to comply with right-wing governments' requests to suppress dissenting voices. This apparent double standard raises concerns about Musk's commitment to free speech.

A notable example is X's (formerly Twitter) 2023 decision to block access to a BBC documentary critical of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's role in the 2002 Gujarat riots. The platform acquiesced to the Indian government's request, sparking criticism that it prioritized political expediency over freedom of expression and accountability.