Remote Amazon tribe hooked on the internet, thanks to Elon Musk’s Starlink

In today’s digital age, almost everyone is connected — and now, thanks to Elon Musk’s Starlink, that even includes remote tribes in the Amazon rainforest.

Though most of the world has had decades to grapple with the repercussions of the internet, groups like those living in the Amazon’s Indigenous villages are playing catch-up to combat screen distractions, digital misinformation and pornography addiction.

New York Times journalist Jack Nicas and photographer Victor Moriyama ventured about 50 miles (80 kilometres) on foot into the rainforest to reach the Marubo villages. There, they witnessed firsthand how the Indigenous tribe struggles with maintaining traditional culture while connecting to the rest of the world online.

Starlink’s 2022 entry into Brazil made the high-speed digital connection possible. The SpaceX product has established internet access in remote locations around the world using low-orbiting Starlink satellites.

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Some of the village elders told the NYT the younger generations have been less interested in traditional ways of life since the internet was brought to the community.

One elder said people in the tribe have become “lazy” and are “learning the ways of the white people,” but she still asked for the internet access to remain.

Enoque Marubo (all Marubo people use the same surname), a leader of the tribe, is a leading advocate for internet access. Still, he noted the internet was initially “detrimental,” specifically to the tribe’s hunting and fishing regimen. With so much to peruse online, no one wanted to do the work, he said.

For this reason, Enoque and other leaders agreed to implement limits to internet access. The internet is only on for two hours in the morning,