The everyday experience of the internet in Iran is restricted through platform and content filtering, throttling, surveillance, and the monitoring of online behaviors. While these are common and long-running forms of information control and censorship, an increase in the use of Internet shutdowns by state authorities is rapidly becoming a major source of anxiety forContinue reading “Internet Shutdown Trends in Iran: November 2019 to July 2021”
Author Archives: Melody Kazemi
Policy Monitor – July 2021
Following in the wake of June’s presidential election, July saw Iran undergo a series of significant political and policy developments. The Supreme Council for Cyberspace (SCC) released the text for its most recent resolutions, including one on the “Protection of Children and Teenagers in Cyberspace”, suggesting the future implementation of a “layered filtering” system forContinue reading “Policy Monitor – July 2021”
Policy Monitor – June 2021
On 18 June, Iran’s presidential elections delivered a first round victory for Chief Justice Ebrahim Raisi, who won 72.4% of the vote according to Iran’s Interior Ministry. This outcome was no surprise for observers, who warned of unprecedented levels of election engineering, including the disqualification of multiple high-profile challengers by the Guardian Council. Although theseContinue reading “Policy Monitor – June 2021”
Satellite Internet Offers Weak Signals for Digital Rights in Iran
A new generation of satellite internet technology promising global internet coverage has been hyped up as a potential solution to a host of connectivity challenges. Although its stated objective appears to be to rapidly expand internet access to disconnected rural communities, it is also viewed as a potential means of circumventing internet shutdowns and internetContinue reading “Satellite Internet Offers Weak Signals for Digital Rights in Iran”
Policy Monitor – May 2021
May marks the final weeks of Hassan Rouhani’s presidency before the election to find his replacement takes place. As the June 18 presidential elections come into sharper focus, online spaces are more important and more contentious than ever. With in-person campaigning and rallies at a minimum in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, online campaigningContinue reading “Policy Monitor – May 2021”
Policy Monitor – April 2021
Although the Rouhani administration is entering its final months, there seem to be no signs of policy-makers slowing the pace of announcements on Iran’s information controls agenda. This month we observed a worrying number of advancements towards the realisation of Iran’s “layered filtering” initiative, including further announcements about the unblocking of YouTube for certain users,Continue reading “Policy Monitor – April 2021”
Policy Monitor – March 2021
The arrival of the Iranian New Year this March was marked by a video message from Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during which he criticised “those in charge” for the “lack of management” of Iran’s internet which has been “let go [of]”. Khamenei’s emphasis on the management of Iran’s internet is particularly notable as itContinue reading “Policy Monitor – March 2021”
Policy Monitor – February 2021
This month, Iran experienced its most severe internet shutdown incident since the November 2019 protests. News of deadly clashes between Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and fuel traders in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan broke on 22 February, sparking a number of protests in the province. The escalation of protests led to aContinue reading “Policy Monitor – February 2021”
Policy Monitor – January 2021
Iran also experienced an eventful month with fuel shortages, the ongoing pandemic, and a number of internal political conflicts. Iranians endured major electricity blackouts for much of this month, along with widespread occurrences of toxic smog. Both of these problems were blamed on nationwide gas shortages caused by increased winter fuel consumption, and as wellContinue reading “Policy Monitor – January 2021”
eGovernment in Iran: Expanding Services, or the Surveillance State?
In 2017, when Filterwatch first wrote about the progress of eGovernment in Iran, the Rouhani administration was preparing to unveil its eGovernment project, under the then-ICT Minister Mahmoud Vaezi. Now, almost four years and an ICT Minister later, we look at how, despite the slow progress of this ambitious project, it has taken some majorContinue reading “eGovernment in Iran: Expanding Services, or the Surveillance State?”