- SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that they had been asked by some governments to block Russian news sources. Although he refused to do so.
- Starlink service was recently activated in Ukraine after the Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister asked Musk for help late last month.
- Musk Recently tweeted supporting Ukraine, asking the country to hold strong.
Elon Musk, Tesla and SpaceX CEO, is again under the limelight as he very recently Tweeted about Starlink and Russia.
He said that Starlink has been told by some government, he specified that it’s not the Ukrainian government, that they should block Russian news sources. But Musk said they won’t do so unless held at gunpoint. And that he’s sorry for being a free speech absolutist.
Starlink is run by SpaceX, and the service provides high-speed satellite internet access coverage globally.
A lot of Twitter users praised Elon Musk for not giving in to the government’s request. One of the users replied to his Tweet saying, Russian news resources are propaganda resources. To which he replied, that all news sources are somewhat propaganda, some more than others.
Recently the Russian Parliament passed a censorship bill, to prosecute anybody who spreads fake news about the Russian military. Penalties can include up to fifteen years of imprisonment. In fact, the prosecution list can also include Anti-war protestors and those calling for foreign sanctions against Russia. Any news that is not approved by the Kremlin can be called fake.
Furthermore, Russia’s media regulator, Roskomnadzor, has issued guidelines for coverage of news regarding Russia and the Ukraine military. And that the media across the country can solely publish information given by official sources.
Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and the country’s minister of Digital transformation, asked Elon Musk for help in late February.
Fedorov asked via his Twitter that while they colonize Mars, Russia tries to occupy Ukraine, and while their rockets successfully land from space, Russian rockets are attacking the civilian people of Ukraine. He further asked Musk to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand. And about ten hours later, Musk informed about the Starlink service to be active in Ukraine.
But Musk further warned that because Starlink is the sole Non-Russian communications system still working in Ukraine, hence the probability of being targeted is high, and asked to use it with caution.
Elon Musk supported Ukraine via his Twitter account writing, Hold strong Ukraine, and added that his sympathies are with the great people of Russia who do not want this.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has been in the limelight lately as it is still ongoing, whereas several prominent entities from the crypto industry have expressed their views on it. It is to look forward to what is to happen next.
Source: https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2022/03/12/starlink-wont-give-in-to-requests-for-censoring-russian-news-sources-says-elon-musk/