The spree of hack-and-leak attacks continued in the first half of 2023. The Iranian government has become a prime target of hacktivist activists. Various hacking personas have defaced official websites, infiltrated domestic networks, and spilled top secret documents into the public domain. While the identity and affiliation of many of these groups remain unclear, theyContinue reading “HackerWatch: January – June 2023”
Author Archives: Filterwatch
Moving Towards Digital Authoritarianism
Summary Of Analysis Filterwatch’s findings reveal that the Islamic Republic of Iran is intensifying its hold on internet control and restrictions, adopting faster and more clandestine approaches. This pattern persists, continuing for eight months after the initial outbreak of protests following the death of Mahsa Jina Amini. As a result, conventional censorship methods, filtering, andContinue reading “Moving Towards Digital Authoritarianism”
Old Policies, New Laws: Legal Developments Around Iran’s Internet Take Centre Stage
This month, several important legislative developments dominated internet-related developments including the release of the draft Seventh Development Plan, and new legislation giving the Supreme Council for Cyberspace more authority, and agreements on the licensing of video-on-demand content. The issue of domestic messaging apps and pushing users away from international services still remains a priority forContinue reading “Old Policies, New Laws: Legal Developments Around Iran’s Internet Take Centre Stage “
No Slowing Down: Internet shutdowns, Internet restrictions and Hijab Enforcement
Iranian authorities announced the commencement of a new cycle of crackdowns on “hijab violations” in public spaces, including inside vehicles. Officials emphasized the role of technology in the latest enforcement cycle for more “contactless” efforts, including sending SMS warnings for non-compliance. Of course, the cameras and facial recognition technology are said to be playing aContinue reading “No Slowing Down: Internet shutdowns, Internet restrictions and Hijab Enforcement “
An Internet For the Few: Iran’s Digital Segregation Plans Edge Closer to Reality
Since the tragic death of Mahsa Jhina Amini in September 2022 and the ensuing protests, access to the internet in Iran has been in a state of near-constant crisis. At the height of violent crackdowns against protests, further internet restrictions were also introduced. Measures such as digital curfews, localized shutdowns, the blocking of platforms suchContinue reading “An Internet For the Few: Iran’s Digital Segregation Plans Edge Closer to Reality”
New Measures to Oppress Women Using Technology Announced
March 2023 coincides with the Persian New Year, and with the New Year holidays taking up much of this month and protests slowing down, one major announcement which captured a lot of attention this month. In mid-March, several Iranian MPs made comments on a new bill being worked on to implement technologically-assisted hijab enforcement. MPContinue reading “New Measures to Oppress Women Using Technology Announced”
HackerWatch: July – December 2022
The second edition of HackerWatch report covers the latest developments in Iran’s cyber orbit. Yet the report is overshadowed by the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, sparked by the tragic death of a young Kurdish woman in police custody in September 2022. These protests happened against a backdrop of expansive surveillance and geopolitical competition between IranContinue reading “HackerWatch: July – December 2022”
Surveillance and Secrecy: Examining Iran’s Claims on the Use of Facial Recognition for Social Control
By: Melody Kazemi and Azin Mohajerin The Iranian government has long sought to exert rigid control over its population, using a range of tactics to suppress dissent and restrict human rights and freedoms. These violations only become more extreme when it comes to the rights of marginalized communities, including women. Iran’s legal framework facilitates theContinue reading “Surveillance and Secrecy: Examining Iran’s Claims on the Use of Facial Recognition for Social Control”
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 yetContinue reading “Part Two – Children’s Internet and Digital Rights in Iran: Creating an Online Ecosystem”
Part One – Children’s Internet and Digital Rights in Iran: Policies and Legislation
In September 2014 President Hassan Rouhani’s government attempted to end the telecom monopoly by granting 3G and 4G service licenses to all providers, bringing mass access to fast mobile internet into reality, even in the most remote and economically deprived parts of the country, without the need for major capital investments in infrastructure, such asContinue reading “Part One – Children’s Internet and Digital Rights in Iran: Policies and Legislation”