SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said Saturday that his company will not block access to Russian media sources on its Starlink internet system, despite requests from some governments.
“Some governments (not Ukraine) have ordered Starlink to block Russian news sources,” Musk said. tweeted on Saturday (5th of March). “We won’t do it unless at gunpoint.”
The request to Starlink comes as Russian military forces continue to invade Ukraine and many countries, including the United States, are imposing tough economic sanctions on Russia in protest. According to Newsweek, some tech companies such as Google and Microsoft have been working to block Russian media such as the state network RT and Sputnik, but Musk’s statement implies that Starlink will not block individual Russian news outlets.
“Sorry for being a free speech fighter,” he wrote in a statement.
Connected: How will Ukraine support Starlink Internet from SpaceX on the network?
Photo: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on satellite imagery
Some governments (not Ukraine) have ordered Starlink to block Russian news sources. We won’t do this unless we’re at gunpoint. Sorry for the absolutism of free speech.March 5, 2022
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Apart from excluding Ukraine, Musk did not specify which countries have approached SpaceX’s Starlink service to block Russian media.
SpaceX’s Starlink internet is active in Ukraine, and the company sent antennas and terminals to the country this week to help restore internet and connectivity following massive disruptions caused by the February 24 Russian invasion. These terminals arrived on Monday (February 28).
The SpaceX Starlink system is a satellite mega constellation designed to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband Internet access to regions around the world, with a focus on remote or underserved areas. Since 2019, the company has launched over 2,000 satellites to build the Starlink network.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week, Musk issued statements in support of the Ukrainian people.
“Hold Ukraine Tight” Musk wrote on Friday (March, 3rd).
🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 Hold tight Ukraine 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦March 5, 2022
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Also Friday, Musk said SpaceX is turning its focus to cybersecurity after some Starlink terminals near conflict zones in Ukraine jammed signals for hours on end.
He also warned Starlink users in Ukraine to take security measures so that the use of the satellite Internet system does not make them a target for Russian forces.
“Important warning: Starlink is the only non-Russian communication system still operating in parts of Ukraine, so it is highly likely to be targeted. Please use with care.” – Musk tweeted on Thursday (March, 3rd). “Please use with care.”
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