SpaceX Could Cut Your Starlink Internet Service If You Pirate Movies

This is a PSA.

Starlink Piracy

SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service isn't going to give you a pass for downloading copyright-infringing content online.

According to pirate redditor "substrate-97," SpaceX promptly sent them a notice once they attempted to download show illegally online, as PCMag reports.

"We must insist that you and/or others using your Starlink service refrain from illegal downloads of copyrighted content," the notice received by the user read. "Downloading copyrighted materials without a license may lead to suspension or termination of your service, and put you at risk of legal action by the content owner."

SpaceX has made great progress in establishing its Starlink satellite constellation, with over 1,300 satellites already in orbit. According to CEO Elon Musk, upwards of half a million users have signed up for the service.

Sailing the Seas

Substrate-97 attempted to download a "CBS show" from the US via a torrent, a popular peer-to-peer method commonly used to share pirated shows and movies.

In other words, Starlink internet service is just like any other internet service in the country when it comes to bootlegging material online.

Starlink lists "violating SpaceX’s or any third party’s copyright, trademark, proprietary, or other intellectual property rights" as a violation of its Acceptable Use Policy.

While the Redditor expressly tried to trigger such a warning by downloading illegal content without spoofing their IP address, it's trivially easy to do so — not that Futurism will ever endorse using a VPN service with the intent to download copyright infringing material.

Just, you know, watch your backs.

READ MORE: Don't Try to Pirate Movies on SpaceX's Starlink [PCMag]

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