SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said some governments recently ordered the company to block Russian media access to its Starlink satellite broadband service. IN tweet he sent out early Saturday, Musk said the company would not honor the request “except at gunpoint.” According to Musk, the demand did not come from Ukraine. “Excuse me for being an absolutist of free speech,” he added.
Musk also said SpaceX will temporarily shift its priorities to focus on cybersecurity and jamming, a decision it noted will cause “small delays” in deploying the reusable Starship rocket and Starlink V2 satellites.
SpaceX’s stance is at odds with a growing list of companies that have blocked access to Russian state media in Europe following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. On February 27, the European Union said it would ban state-backed Russian media outlets Russia Today and Sputnik for their role in spreading disinformation and “lies to justify Putin’s war.” Both Facebook and YouTube quickly complied with the order, restricting access to outlets in Europe.
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