During the month of May, Iranian authorities used internet shutdowns and disruptions extensively as part of crackdowns on protests across the country. Their lack of hesitation in the use of such methods to limit the freedom of expression of the Iranian public is concerning and an indication that in the coming months and years weContinue reading “Policy Monitor – May 2022”
Author Archives: Kaveh Azarhoosh
Policy Monitor – April 2022
The month of April coincided with the first month of the Iranian Calendar year 1401 and its national holidays, as a result, policymaking in Iran followed a slower pace. However, one important development in April has been a significant vote in the Iranian parliament, indicating a major delay in passing the dangerous “User Protection” Bill.Continue reading “Policy Monitor – April 2022”
Policy Monitor – March 2022
March marked the final month of the Iranian calendar year 1400. As the end of the year approached, most policy-setting bodies including the Supreme Council for Cyberspace (SCC) and the Iranian Parliament were preoccupied with setting their agenda and priorities for the next year. In their final meetings of the year, both the parliament andContinue reading “Policy Monitor – March 2022”
Whose Internet? The battle over the Future of Iran’s Internet
On 22 February, a committee of Iranian MPs voted 18 to 1 to pass a bill now commonly referred to as the “User Protection Bill”. The vote received unprecedented public attention in the weeks and months leading up to it due to the common perception among Iranians that the bill intends to restrict their accessContinue reading “Whose Internet? The battle over the Future of Iran’s Internet”
Passing the Baton: Raisi Continues the Assault on Iran’s Internet
Only a few months into Raisi’s presidency Iranian internet users and activists are on high alert regarding the future of the digital rights in Iran. The new President’s initial appointments and his reactions to an anti-internet bill making its way through parliament have all been observed nervously as many believe his term in office mayContinue reading “Passing the Baton: Raisi Continues the Assault on Iran’s Internet”
Election Hopefuls’ Silence on Digital Rights Speaks Volumes
Over the past eight years, the Rouhani administration has dramatically transformed the Iranian internet. By making significant investments in infrastructure, and actively developing and implementing a broad array of internet-focused policies, this government has been able to take the vague, widely ridiculed Ahmadinejad-era concept of the “halal” internet, and reshape it into a coherent, ambitious,Continue reading “Election Hopefuls’ Silence on Digital Rights Speaks Volumes”
Iran’s Plan to Tackle “Fake News” Threatens Real Journalism
On 5 January 2021 the Supreme Council of Cyberspace (SCC) – Iran’s top Internet governance and ICT policy-making body – ratified a resolution titled the “Document on Preventing and Combating the Dissemination of Misinformation and Fake News and Content in Cyberspace” in a meeting chaired by President Hassan Rouhani. The full text of the resolutionContinue reading “Iran’s Plan to Tackle “Fake News” Threatens Real Journalism”
The Iran-China Partnership: A Bad Deal for Citizens and Tech Companies
In the early months of 2020 the Iranian government announced that the cabinet had approved the draft text of an agreement for a 25 year partnership with China. From the get-go the announcement received a significant amount of attention from the Iranian public and from high-profile political figures, despite few details being made publicly available. Continue reading “The Iran-China Partnership: A Bad Deal for Citizens and Tech Companies”
Iran’s “Legal VPNs” and the Threat to Digital Rights
On 13 April this year, the Secretary to the Supreme Council for Cyberspace (SCC) Abolhassan Firouzabadi announced that a regulatory guidance for “Legal VPNs” has been finalised by the Committee for Determining Instances of Criminal Content (CDICC). He also added that the ICT Ministry will be in charge of deciding who will have access toContinue reading “Iran’s “Legal VPNs” and the Threat to Digital Rights”
FATAwatch: January – March 2020
During the COVID-19 crisis, the Iranian judiciary and Cyber Police (FATA) have played a central role in not only implementing a crackdown on freedom of expression and privacy online, but also in defining and shaping it. The first three months of 2020 demonstrated that the Iranian judiciary and Cyber Police are pursuing an active policyContinue reading “FATAwatch: January – March 2020”