The "Regulation of Cyberspace" is the newest plan proposed by members of the Iranian parliament to restrict free access to the internet. While details of the bill, which was submitted on August 2nd, 2025, have not been officially released, "Filterwatch" has obtained information revealing its focus on "setting levels of access," "criminalization," and "determining punishments"Continue reading "Government and Parliament Propose Dozens of Plans, Bills, and Regulations Against Freedom of Expression"
Yearly Archives: 2025
From Internet to SMS: Expanding Censorship to the Last Communication Channel
For years, opposition to the Islamic Republic’s censorship focused on blocked websites, social media, and messaging apps. But new evidence shows these restrictions now extend to text messages (SMS), one of the oldest and most dependable ways to communicate. The discovery of a system for filtering and manipulating SMS messages reveals a new kind ofContinue reading "From Internet to SMS: Expanding Censorship to the Last Communication Channel"
The 12-Day War’s Legacy: Security-Driven Policies Dominate Iran’s Digital Ecosystem
Over the past month, Iran's digital landscape has been plagued by widespread internet disruptions, blocking of WhatsApp voice and video calls, and GPS malfunctions. At the same time, authorities arrested managers of the Rasmio platform and seized its database, shut down the online petition site Karzar, and barred the founder of the Divar app fromContinue reading "The 12-Day War’s Legacy: Security-Driven Policies Dominate Iran’s Digital Ecosystem"
Tiered Internet: A Case Study in Selective Access and Digital Inequality
Tiered Internet is a concept that transforms internet access from a universal right into a special privilege for a select group. It refers to a type of internet access that, based on the segregation of domestic and international traffic, determines access to international internet content based on factors such as age, gender, occupation, education, andContinue reading "Tiered Internet: A Case Study in Selective Access and Digital Inequality"
Wartime Cyber Crackdown and the Emergence of Mercenary Spyware Attacks
Executive Summary This report examines trends in cyberattacks, content management, digital rights violations, and arrests in the first six months of 2025, based on data from Miaan Group's Digital Security Helpdesk(DSH). Digital repression in Iran has entered a new and unprecedented phase; a phase in which highly sophisticated technological tools have been employed for politicalContinue reading "Wartime Cyber Crackdown and the Emergence of Mercenary Spyware Attacks"
Digital Platforms Enabling Child Marriage in Iran
"Spouse-finding" platforms have become a breeding ground for promoting child marriage. Platforms like “Adam va Hava” (i.e., Adam and Eve) and certain channels active on messaging apps like Eitaa and Telegram have long been publishing profiles of applicants under 18, and even under 13 years old. This is a significant shift, as most of theseContinue reading "Digital Platforms Enabling Child Marriage in Iran "
Iran’s Digital Clampdown: “Corruption on Earth” and Wartime Internet Control
During the Iran-Israel war, the Islamic Republic of Iran escalated its crackdown in cyberspace, launching a new front of digital repression. This includes enacting repressive laws and criminalizing tools that enable free access to information. This 12-day war ushered in one of the most oppressive eras for internet access in Iran. Beyond outright disconnection, internetContinue reading "Iran’s Digital Clampdown: “Corruption on Earth” and Wartime Internet Control"
Iran’s Internet Status in the First Week of Israel’s Attack: Disruption More Severe Than Bloody November in 2019
With the onset of Israel's military attack on Iran on June 13, 2025, Iran entered one of its most severe and targeted periods of communication disruption and information censorship in its history. Leveraging its experience from the November 2019 internet shutdown and the development of infrastructure and policies related to the "National Information Network," theContinue reading "Iran’s Internet Status in the First Week of Israel’s Attack: Disruption More Severe Than Bloody November in 2019"
Iran’s Unequal Internet: 90 Outages Expose New Digital Divide as “Cyber Free Zones” Emerge
Iran's internet policies are taking a stark turn, revealing a paradoxical strategy that aims for regional influence while tightening the digital leash on its citizens. In the past month alone, at least 90 internet disruptions have been reported, with half classified as "severe," painting a grim picture of a nation moving toward a controlled andContinue reading "Iran’s Unequal Internet: 90 Outages Expose New Digital Divide as “Cyber Free Zones” Emerge"
Digital Repression in Bandar Abbas: Explosions, Crackdowns, and Connectivity Blackouts
Arrests of Influencers, Legal Action against Journalists and Media Outlets, and Widespread Network Disruptions After explosions at the Sina pier of Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas, Iranian authorities took actions that included imposing sweeping restrictions on social media influencers, apparently to suppress the free flow of information, and disrupting regional communication infrastructure. From roughlyContinue reading "Digital Repression in Bandar Abbas: Explosions, Crackdowns, and Connectivity Blackouts"