Starlink starts offering Iranians uncensored internet access

[metadat]

https://archive.ph/RBJWd

http://web.archive.org/web/20220926152622/https://archive.ph...

[ramblerman]

It’s hard to involve yourself in another country’s potential uprising without inserting your biases.

But providing people with uncensored internet is probably the most productive and neutral action you can undertake.

Here is the info. Decide for yourselves, there can be no resentment later.

[dzhiurgis]

Well to be devils advocate what Starlink are actually providing is the CIA with Iranians browsing data

[hedora]

It's hard to make this argument unless you're providing access globally, and that won't happen. Instead, doing this is just helping powerful repressive regimes and undermining less powerful regimes. cough China cough:

https://www.engadget.com/china-military-scientists-anti-star...

[c3534l]

In an authoritarian regime, free speech is a weapon.

[rsj_hn]

Whereas in a democracy, free speech is a threat that needs to be controlled in order to prevent "disinformation" or "platforming" dangerous elements. Funny how that works.

[ncmncm]

Of course it will be mainly the Iranian government using the service. Which it will have to be paying for, via confiscation from the Iranian people.

That will be good for SpaceX, anyway.

[tsol]

I imagine they're gonna wanna push this story over the story of them providing service to oppressive countries and classes of people

[randyrand]

to be pedantic, censored to western standards :)

[throwawayKiwi9]

What meets your definition of non-western censorship? Surely shutting down mobile operators and preventing communication tools that perhaps more than half the country uses meets this definition?

[nikolay]

This is such a lame self-promotion - how are they going to get the terminals?!

[o0-0o]

Is starlink offered in China

[carride]

Republished by partnership. Without paywall. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/09/elon-musk-offers...

[mensetmanusman]

What if the authoritarians start lasering these satellites?

[edgyquant]

The full might of the western world will rain down on them. Or more likely we’ll just send a few toys to their opposition. Starting a war with the NATO is not a good idea

[wmf]

What if Iran declares war on the US? Nothing good for Iran.

[kelseyfrog]

Anything from Kessler Syndrome to Musky building a Low Orbit Ion Cannon to nothing.

[moralestapia]

Another instance of "some are more equal than others".

Try selling your service to an embargoed country and report back the results (from jail probably).

Also another instance of "breaking the law is fine if it goes with my ideals".

Rule of law is crumbling in the US. That's never a good thing.

[JumpCrisscross]

> try selling your service to an embargoed country and report back the results

This isn’t what SpaceX did. It asked the State Department to let it sell. State created an exception to the sanctions mechanisms open to anyone.

[edgyquant]

You realize the US government has been backing spacex because we want these capabilities? Musk is a military contractor and Iran a geopolitical rival. This is not a business decision h the is the US government showing what it’s been building towards during “the decline of America”

[zardo]

If you are selling something that is destabilizing the (official US enemy) government then like here, there's a chance they will grant an exception. Especially if it's something that makes the US look noble.