Starlink globalizes its policies and adds specificities for Nigeria and South Korea

On November 26, 2025, Starlink updated its privacy policy to become a global privacy policy. Long overdue, the last official version was from May 1, 2023. The updated policy applies to all services provided by Starlink, not just its website. It now allows using de-identified data ‘from and about’ users to be used for ‘any purpose, including improving our services, to the extent permitted by applicable law’. Data will be disclosed to government regulators or law enforcement agencies in order ‘to protect any person from death or serious bodily injury’.

Additionally, specific privacy policies for Nigeria have also been incorporated. On December 4, another change introduced a dedicated set for South Korea.

These modifications occur in the backdrop of the involvement of US tech companies as an extension of US diplomacy. Starlink is a satellite internet service provider operated by Starlink Services, LLC, a subsidiary of SpaceX, a US company owned by Elon Musk.

Rest of World, an independent media focusing on tech and power in global majority, has previously highlighted the link between Trump’s attention and new Starlink contracts with other countries. Nigeria has been under scrutiny due to allegations of persecution against Christian communities. The United States has threatened to intervene. In late October 2025, President Donald Trump made a visit to South Korea. Since then, South Korean airlines have signed contracts with Starlink to offer in-flight internet to their passengers. Additionally, home internet services were introduced to the South Korean household market at the start of December.

The US Department of Defense began funding the provision of Starlink service to Ukrainian forces during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022. But it also came with some controversies of intervention when Starlink decided to shut down the service during a Ukrainian strike.