Part Two – Children’s Internet and Digital Rights in Iran: Creating an Online Ecosystem

Read Part One Here and Part Three Here 

Summary

After the ratification of plans and policies to create a “children’s internet”  the first major step for turning these plans into reality was the introduction of SIM cards for children by mobile network providers. What the authorities hope to create per their policies has not yet fully materialized, so what we are seeing so far are restrictions on access to the global internet and the censorship of content. 

The resolution on the ‘Protection of Children and Teenages on the Internet’ defines an ecosystem to be created within the National Information Network (NIN) as a means of limiting access to the international internet, but the restrictions do not end there. The policymakers also planning for further limits within the NIN as well: 

“Protected environment: An ecosystem as part of the NIN that provides a specific and defined level of access to information, communication and services according to the age, gender and other cultural and social characteristics of minors, children and teenagers.” 

Through the NIN – a network designed to be separate from the international internet – access will not only be tailored based on age and gender, but also on what the policymakers have described as ‘cultural and social conditions.’ This is an indication that controls will be put on various levels in what Filterwatch refers to as “layered filtering.”

Implementation of High-Level Policies by Mobile Network Operators

Following the release of regulatory guidelines on children’s access to the internet, mobile network operators began to offer dedicated SIM cards and related services for children,  including providers such as RighTel, Hamrah-e-Aval’s (MCI) Anarestan SIM card, and Irancell’s Simba SIM card. All of these SIM cards disconnect users from the international internet and only allow access to a specific content through a “white-list,” as explained by Anarestan’s website. In other words, children using these specific SIM cards can only access content from a predetermined list, though Anarestan gives parents the ability to suggest sites to be added to the list, they must first be ‘evaluated’ by Irancell’s experts. 

It should be noted however that the restrictions on the child SIM cards only apply for accessing the internet and not messages or normal calls. Although, some operators do offer a limited ability to make a video call for emergencies. As an example, Irancell’s SIM card for children does not set any limits on audio calls but it can limit the amount of hours children can use mobile internet. 

The children’s SIM cards are only sold to adults who would have to subscribe to the special plan to be used by child(ren). Responsibility for any misuse of the plan would ultimately rest with the adult subscriber.

RighTel’s Children’s Internet Service

    RighTel’s children’s internet services

In 2014 RighTel introduced a special SIM card to launch its child and teenagers service. According to its website, “This free service can be activated on RighTel subscribers’ current SIM cards without the need to purchase a new one. Also, the tariff will not change even with the activation of the child internet service.”

With the activation of this service, “the user can only access domestic content online.” In other words, RighTel’s SIM card for children will connect to NIN, which carries government approved content. This specific tariff is charged at half the price of  international internet traffic. 

Irancell’s internet service for children and teenagers

Simba: Irancell’s Internet Service for Children and Adolescents

Iracell introduced its “Simba” SIM card as part of its internet service for children and teenagers in the Spring of 2015. However, in order to activate the internet service for children, there’s no need to purchase a new SIM card. The service allows subscribers to access “suitable” websites for children and teenagers.

According to Irancell’s website, the following websites are made available through their service:

Irancell gives subscribers the ability to recommend other sites for potential inclusion in this list following an ‘evaluation’ by Irancell’s experts, however, they do not provide details on what the evaluation process entails. 

Anarestan Ecosystem

 Anarestan’s SIM card for children and teenagers

The Anarestan SIM card for children was initiated by Amin Holding (Persian: هلدینگ امین) in 2015. According to the company’s website, it also offers other products, such as a tablet for children and teenagers, which it states is  in line with its “mission to protect children on the internet.” According to their FAQ page, Anarestan SIM card – offered by Hamrah-e-Aval (MCI), will only allow access to WhatsApp and Google search, but not Instagram or other popular foreign apps. 

The Chair to Anarestan’s board, Abolfazl Mahmoudi, said in an interview in November 2021: “This SIM card is especially designed for children and teenagers aged between 6-18, giving them access only to pre-selected child-friendly content. Anarestan’s experts will regularly explore the internet for new sites and update their white-list.”

Anarestan does not allow the use of VPNs. Interestingly, the company deleted its response to a question about whether VPNs could be used, but the response is still visible via their website’s meta HTML source which states “no. Because of this age group is highly sensitive,  VPNs cannot be used.”

Screenshot of the HTML code for the Anarestan website which shows the use of VPNs have been deactivated.

Children’s Internet Ecosystems

‘Anarestan’s Ecosystem for Children’ 

Anarestan is not just a SIM card but it is also an economic platform or a virtual ecosystem. The Project Manager for Anarstan’s SIM card, Jafar Ziari claims that “while we have restricted children and teenagers from accessing unsuitable environments, we have also created attractive content for them.” Ziari also added that “on Anarestan, we have a whole department to conduct analysis and produce special content for children and teenagers. Shah Ghul Studio produces digital games alongside ChiKhoobeh which offers content analysis and organizes content based on usefulness and safe educational value, and based on the entertainment level for children and teenagers. ChiKhoobeh is a free portal, which was awarded the top prize in the 11th Digital Media Festival, in the family and lifestyle category, and is now being used as a reference to analyze and classify content for dynamic animated cartoons on state television.”

Anarestan not only has faster and cheaper access to approved content for children, but also generates content within its economic ecosystem as well. 

According to Ziari, “In terms of content, Anarestan itself is a content generator. Apart from producing and categorizing content, we try to use all content producers’ potential for children and teenagers.”

Boomino Ecosystem

Boomino’s ecosystem for children

Boomino is another SIM card/ecosystem created for children. The portal is also a product of Hamrah-e-Aval which offers domestic alternatives to the international internet services. The following chart shows the type of services available for each age group. It should be noted that none of them provide access to Instagram or Google search, and instead use ‘Zarebin’ an Iranian search engine. 

The creation of a children’s internet is a puzzle piece in the plans for wider internet restriction in Iran and the implementation of layered filtering. Though the plans are being realized at a slow pace, once completed, yet another pathway to the international internet will be shut to Iranians.

Read Part Three Here 

Filterwatch

See Full Bio