Why Musk Doesn’t Have Access to SpaceX’s Biggest Government Secrets

2024/12/17

WSJ Tech News Briefing

Joe Palazzolo

Patience Hagen

Patience Hagen：互联网服务提供商的'营养标签'旨在方便消费者比较不同套餐，但实际上却难以查找和理解。这些标签通常隐藏在购买流程中不显眼的位置，许多消费者甚至不知道它们的存在。即使找到了，标签本身也难以阅读和比较，缺乏标准化。FCC虽然表示将改进标签，但目前尚未采取有效的监管措施。 Joe Palazzolo： SpaceX CEO马斯克没有获得公司内部某些员工拥有的高级别安全许可，这主要是因为SpaceX的律师认为，鉴于马斯克过去的个人行为（例如吸食大麻和使用氯胺酮）以及与外国官员的联系，申请更高级别的安全许可风险太大。如果申请被拒，马斯克不仅会失去接触更高级别政府机密的资格，还可能失去现有的最高机密安全许可，从而影响SpaceX与政府的合作。尽管马斯克已被任命为政府效率部门的联合领导人，但他目前仍无法接触SpaceX最重要的政府机密。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why are internet plan nutrition labels hard to find and understand?

The labels are required to be provided at the time of purchase but are often inconspicuous, hidden in tiny links or QR codes, and not standardized, making them difficult for consumers to locate and compare.

What are the main issues with the FCC's internet plan labels?

The labels are not prominently displayed, consumers are often unaware of their existence, and there is no standardization, leading to confusion and difficulty in comparing plans.

What could the FCC do to improve internet plan labels?

The FCC could mandate more prominent display of labels, standardize their format, and increase enforcement to ensure providers comply effectively.

Why doesn't Elon Musk have access to SpaceX's biggest government secrets?

SpaceX lawyers advised against seeking higher clearance for Musk due to risks, including his past use of recreational drugs and international contacts, which could jeopardize his top-secret clearance and the company's national security contracts.

What kind of security clearance does Elon Musk currently have?

Musk has a top-secret security clearance, which is the highest of three general levels, but it does not grant him access to sensitive compartmented information or special access programs.

How is Musk's clearance status different from other defense contractor CEOs?

CEOs of companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing have access to sensitive compartmented information, while Musk does not, as SpaceX deemed it too risky to pursue higher clearance for him.

What could happen to Musk's clearance if he co-leads the Department of Government Efficiency?

Musk may need access to classified Pentagon spending, and President-elect Trump could potentially grant him access without traditional vetting, which SpaceX is preparing for.

Chapters

Despite a new FCC rule requiring internet service providers to display standardized price and speed data on labels similar to nutrition facts panels, consumers are finding them difficult to locate and understand. The labels are often inconspicuous, tucked away in online checkouts or not readily known to store employees.

FCC mandated nutrition labels for internet plans.
Labels are hard to find both online and in stores.
Lack of standardization and enforcement hinders usability.

Shownotes Transcript

As SpaceX deepened its ties) with national-security agencies in recent years, the company’s lawyers advised senior executives not to seek a higher security clearance for Elon Musk, the rocket company's founder and CEO, according to people familiar with the matter. WSJ investigations reporter Joe Palazzolo joins Tech News Briefing to explain why and what this means now that Musk has been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to co-lead the new Department of Government Efficiency. Plus, internet plans now come with “nutrition labels)” that disclose prices and speeds. But consumers can’t find them or understand them. Julie Chang hosts.

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