WASHINGTON DC, USA – In the wake of Donald Trump’s recent election victory, online conspiracy theories have emerged accusing Elon Musk of using his satellite internet service, Starlink, to influence the election outcome.
Left-wing social media accounts allege that Musk’s satellites were somehow linked to the voting machine infrastructure in key states to favour the president-elect, sparking widespread discussion and speculation.
A nine-minute TikTok video by the account @etheria77 claims, among other things, that “California and other swing states were able to use Starlink in order to tally up and count voting ballots in their state.”
The video, which was reposted on X (formerly Twitter) by @AesPolitics1, has accumulated over 1.6 million views.
“This woman just made the most convincing case for Biden to investigate the election. She exposes Starlink,” the account captioned the post.
This woman just made the most convincing case for Biden to investigate the election. She exposes Starlink. pic.twitter.com/m9hWoDDN5z
— Aes🇺🇸 (@AesPolitics1) November 10, 2024
Some users on X also attempted to link Musk’s support of Trump with these allegations.
One account posted a video clip of podcaster Joe Rogan claiming that Musk knew the outcome of the election “four hours before the election was called.”
Musk and his team have not responded publicly to these conspiracy theories, although Starlink and SpaceX have maintained that their services are geared toward providing high-speed internet, especially in underserved and remote areas.
Despite these claims, election security experts have pointed out fundamental flaws in the conspiracy theories.
Voting machines in the United States, as stated by the Associated Press and other sources, are generally not connected to the internet.
In rare instances where internet connections are used, they are typically restricted to secure, private networks to transmit unofficial results after voting has ended and physical memory cards have been removed.
Chip Trowbridge, Chief Technology Officer of Clear Ballot, a certified voting system manufacturer, confirmed, “Those systems absolutely cannot have any network. In fact, if you look at the machines from Clear Ballot, the only wire that comes out of them is a power cord.”
He added that ballot-scanning machines lack Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or any other form of network connectivity.
The claims surrounding Starlink’s alleged election interference recall the conspiracy theories that circulated following the 2020 election, when Donald Trump and some of his supporters contended that voting machines were tampered with.
Multiple investigations in battleground states found no evidence of widespread election fraud, and prominent voting machine manufacturer Dominion Voting Systems reached a $787 million settlement with Fox News after suing the network over defamation claims related to the 2020 election.
Doug Mills/The New York Times
Throughout the 2024 campaign, Musk endorsed Trump and voiced support for his policies, a stance that has fuelled speculation about the two men’s relationship and potential collaborations.
Musk’s super PAC held a $1 million daily giveaway to registered voters in swing states, and he appeared at multiple campaign events with Trump.
Conspiracy theories have continued to circulate on social media despite reassurances from election experts.
On the podcast Pivot, Scott Galloway, co-host with journalist Kara Swisher, commented on the theories, suggesting that a merger between Musk’s X and Trump’s Truth Social might emerge in the future.
He added that a collaboration could represent “a way to funnel billions of dollars from Musk to Donald Trump, legally, as far as I can tell.”
Starlink’s Technology and Intended Use
Starlink, developed by SpaceX, consists of a satellite constellation that delivers high-speed broadband internet, especially to remote and rural areas where traditional infrastructure may be unavailable.
Unlike traditional satellites in geostationary orbit, Starlink satellites operate in low Earth orbit (LEO) to reduce latency, making communication faster and more efficient.
SpaceX hopes to expand the constellation to 42,000 satellites in the coming years.
Starlink has been used for various humanitarian and connectivity purposes, notably in disaster-stricken regions.
After Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina and Hurricane Milton impacted Florida earlier this year, SpaceX provided free Starlink access in affected areas, supplying roughly 10,000 receiver kits to help communities recover.
Trump praised Musk’s efforts in his election night victory speech, calling him “a super genius” and stating, “We have to protect our geniuses. We don’t have that many of them.”
As of now, there is no evidence to support the theories alleging Starlink’s involvement in the election results, and independent election experts maintain that election infrastructure remains insulated from internet-based tampering.
Nonetheless, the speculation reflects the ongoing tension between technology and election security, particularly in an era where misinformation can spread widely across platforms like X and TikTok.
With public trust in the electoral process under increased scrutiny, election officials have emphasised the importance of continued vigilance in safeguarding voting systems from undue influence or manipulation.
