As I'm reading through this I'm fascinated about the character's "write russian articles for Bitcoin gig". Perhaps internet infrastructure isn't that good yet in Cuba, but with Starlink and other LEO internet projects underway, that might change in the medium term.
Once basic ingredients are there, we might see an explosion of, for lack of a better term... "digital sweatshops". Things like data annotation / game grinding / SocMed content moderation etc.
Starlink’s first version will require ground relay stations within the overlapping spot beams (the inter-spacecraft relay lasers aren’t until later) and also likely intends to comply with local laws in all places it is offered for sale.
I think they have outright said that they will only operate through local resellers and local ground stations, so all laws will need to be complied with. Even then I think US-hostile nations would ban starlink on suspicious of eavesdropping, or simply because they don't want everyone connected to the internet.
What about resellers on a boat? You can set up the business in Panama, sign the the Starlink contract, dock in Havana and just share your wifi password.
I suspect Starlink modems upload their coordinates. The modem would also need to know its correct GPS location to operate, they mechanically orientate themselves, so faking a GPS signal would not be enough. You would need to modify the firmware.
And even if this was possible, I am sure the Cuban government would not be happy with you providing ISP services at the local dock.
I am sure there are alphabet soup agencies that will get "unlocked" starlinks, but the rest of us will need a local groundstation.
Once basic ingredients are there, we might see an explosion of, for lack of a better term... "digital sweatshops". Things like data annotation / game grinding / SocMed content moderation etc.