Iran has a history of restricting internet access during periods of political unrest, employing shutdowns as a tactic to suppress protests and limit interaction, according to experts. These actions build upon existing censorship measures that have been in place for nearly two decades.
IranS Internet Control
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Iran employs internet shutdowns as a tool to repress dissent and control the flow of information during protests. Authorities sever internet access to isolate protesters and hinder their ability to communicate with each other and the outside world. This tactic aims to disrupt organization and limit the dissemination of information about demonstrations.
In november 2019, Iran implemented a near-total internet shutdown following protests sparked by a fuel price hike. Amnesty International documented how this shutdown coincided with a brutal crackdown on protesters, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests.
DAWN (Digital Activism & New Narratives) and Omid Memarian
Omid Memarian, an Iranian human rights expert and senior fellow at DAWN, a Washington-based organization focused on the Middle East, has extensively documented Iran’s use of internet shutdowns. He asserts that these shutdowns are strategically timed to coincide with critical moments in protest movements.
DAWN’s research indicates that Iran’s internet control extends beyond outright shutdowns to include complex filtering and surveillance techniques. Their 2023 report details the government’s increasing capabilities in monitoring online activity and identifying dissidents.
Iran’s Existing internet Censorship
Iran has implemented internet censorship measures sence 2005, blocking access to popular social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This censorship is part of a broader effort to control the information available to Iranian citizens.
Despite these restrictions, many Iranians circumvent censorship using virtual private networks (VPNs). Freedom House’s 2023 Freedom on the net report notes that VPN usage remains widespread in Iran, despite government attempts to block them. the report also highlights the increasing sophistication of both the government’s censorship techniques and the methods used by Iranians to bypass them.
November 2019 Shutdown Details
The November 2019 internet shutdown lasted approximately one week. during this period, access to the global internet was severely restricted, while a heavily censored national intranet remained operational. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that the shutdown significantly hampered the ability of protesters to organize and share information about the government’s crackdown.
