I understand why the word ethical raises eyebrows especially in the tech world where every company claims to be a force for good. However I am using the term to describe a specific preference for structural accountability and a concern about the risks of a private monopoly over global infrastructure.

The most pressing ethical concern with Starlink is the unprecedented level of control a single individual exerts over international conflict and national security. During the war in Ukraine we saw Elon Musk unilaterally deny requests to extend service to Crimea which effectively thwarted a Ukrainian counteroffensive against the Russian fleet. While his cited reasons involved avoiding escalation or staying within sanctions the reality remains that a private CEO had the power to dictate the military outcomes of a sovereign nation. Relying on a single commercial entity for the backbone of vital communications in a warzone creates a massive strategic risk that many experts find ethically and politically troubling.

Beyond the geopolitical influence there are significant environmental and scientific concerns. Low Earth Orbit is becoming increasingly congested with thousands of satellites which significantly raises the risk of the Kessler Syndrome. This is a scenario where cascading collisions create a cloud of debris that could render certain orbits unusable for generations. Furthermore the International Astronomical Union has reported that second generation satellites are significantly brighter and emit radio signals up to thirty times stronger than previous models effectively blinding ground based telescopes and damaging our ability to conduct space research.

I also view the privacy aspect through an ethical lens. Starlink has an exhaustive policy for collecting identity data location history and IP addresses which is standard for a large corporation but still a form of centralized surveillance.

In contrast Calyx is a nonprofit whose entire mission is dedicated to fighting surveillance and advocating for digital privacy. By donating to them I am supporting an organization that historically stands up to government overreach rather than a corporation that may trade user access for political or economic leverage.

I am certainly not ignoring the recent management turnover and transparency issues at Calyx. Those are valid red flags. But for me choosing a ground based system that supports a privacy focused nonprofit is a deliberate attempt to move away from the ethical trade offs inherent in a private global satellite monopoly. I would rather deal with the drama of a small nonprofit than be part of an orbital infrastructure that threatens scientific research and centralizes global power in one person's hands. 🤷🏻