Iran’s Surveillance State: A Year of Expansion 

Analytical Summary The Iranian government embarked on a new path in 2023, enacting laws and policies that aimed to restrict the hardware and software choices of its citizens in the long run. The authorities seek to monitor citizens’ through tracking software, heighten control over hardware imports, coerce them to adopting and using their favored applications,Continue reading “Iran’s Surveillance State: A Year of Expansion “

How the Iranian Government Pushes Users to the National Information Network by Raising Internet Prices 

By raising the prices of mobile internet packages by over 34% and removing the cheaper long-term internet  packages in December 2022, the Iranian government has advanced its agenda of imposing the National Information Network on its citizens.  Under President Ebrahim Raisi’s government, the internet price has gone up twice officially. The first time was inContinue reading “How the Iranian Government Pushes Users to the National Information Network by Raising Internet Prices “

Sistan and Baluchestan:

According to research by Filterwatch using IODA data, local sources, and Filterwatch’s technical research, Sistan and Baluchestan province experienced over 5400 minutes of complete internet outages and around 300 minutes of intentional disruptions in 2023. Filterwatch has also found evidence that for the first time, the technical arm responsible for internet cut-offs and disruptions inContinue reading “Sistan and Baluchestan:”

Iran’s “People’s Lifestyle Assessment System”: A New Surveillance Threat

The Iranian government’s “Seventh Development Plan” bill, which was passed in the past month, is one of the most significant and influential laws affecting Iran’s digital realm. It contains a key section called the “Lifestyle Assessment System”, a far-reaching initiative that aims to monitor and control the activities and behaviors of Iranian users. This systemContinue reading “Iran’s “People’s Lifestyle Assessment System”: A New Surveillance Threat”

Iran’s Internet Crisis in November: A Month of Disruptions

In the month of November, Iran’s internet infrastructure faced significant challenges. The country experienced three major national-level outages, along with two additional disruptions affecting mobile and internet operators.  In all three outages, the Telecommunication Infrastructure Company attributed the fault to disruptions in transmission lines and international internet routes. The severe network routing disruption, or ActiveContinue reading “Iran’s Internet Crisis in November: A Month of Disruptions”

The Ongoing Expansion of Technological Surveillance Against Women

The Iranian government is still focused on developing internet and surveillance policies on women’s hijab, more than a year after the ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement began. The ‘Sepid’ plan is the latest initiative by the country’s Prosecutor General to crack down on ‘immodesty’ in cyberspace. It works alongside the ‘Nazer’ project, which is carried outContinue reading “The Ongoing Expansion of Technological Surveillance Against Women”

Digital Market “Capitulation”: The Tiered Internet System in the Tourism Sector

Iran’s tourism industry is introducing a new system of tourist SIM cards that allow foreign visitors and tourism workers to access the internet without censorship. The system was inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo’s visit to Iran, which sparked a debate about internet freedom in the country.  However, the system also reinforces the government’s plan to createContinue reading “Digital Market “Capitulation”: The Tiered Internet System in the Tourism Sector”

How the Iranian Parliament Plans to Spy on Citizens with the ‘Lifestyle Assessment System’

  The Iranian government recently passed a major law that affects the digital rights of its citizens. The law, known as the Seventh Development Plan, includes a controversial component called the ‘Lifestyle Assessment System’, which allows the government to spy on people’s personal information. This report analyzes the Seventh Development Plan law, its specific clauses,Continue reading “How the Iranian Parliament Plans to Spy on Citizens with the ‘Lifestyle Assessment System’”

Facial Authentication and Recognition: From Reality to Political Propaganda

Executive Summary The discussion on the use of facial recognition technology became prominent when Mohammad Saleh Hashemi Golpayegani, the former secretary of the Command of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Wrong, stated in a September 2022 interview with the news site Khabar Fori: ‘Technology now allows images to be matched with national ID photos, and thoseContinue reading “Facial Authentication and Recognition: From Reality to Political Propaganda”

Widespread Disruption Named Infrastructure Development

Internet users in Iran experienced widespread disruptions in September-October 2023, ranging from complete outages to severe disturbances. These disruptions coincided with the second internet blackout schedule announced by the Minister of Communications, Isa Zarepour, and his organization, the Infrastructure Communications Company. According to them, the internet in vast areas of Iran would be disrupted fromContinue reading “Widespread Disruption Named Infrastructure Development”