The past month saw the advance of a policy intended to secure government control over digital economy companies. By acquiring stocks and ownership rights in these companies, the government seeks greater ability to monitor and control with fewer obstacles from the private sector. With such tactics, the government now has a freer hand to accessContinue reading “Subduing Internet Companies: The Final Piece in the Surveillance State Puzzle”
Tag Archives: Filterwatch Policy Monitor
Iran’s Future: Filtered, Traceable, and Anti-Sanctions
In the past month, Iranian authorities announced statutes and guidelines that will have a significant impact on the future of the internet in Iran. They include measures to drive users to platforms that emulate foreign products, track user activity on internet and intranet, establish tiered internet access, and generate income from the sale of VPNs.Continue reading “Iran’s Future: Filtered, Traceable, and Anti-Sanctions”
Blocking Access to the Global Internet Through Economic Pressure
On January 14, 2023, regulators issued a decree that authorized operators to raise fixed internet prices by 7 to 34 percent. This was preceded earlier in the month by a price hike in mobile internet packages, which also removed long-term, cost-effective volume packages. The price increase only applied to international traffic for both fixed andContinue reading “Blocking Access to the Global Internet Through Economic Pressure”
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 “
Domestic Messaging Apps: Leading in Surveillance, Lagging in Service
Executive Summary Research and polling by Filterban show that in the past year, more than 67 percent of internet users in Iran have been forced to download and use domestic messaging apps at least once. This poll, conducted from mid-to-late June 2023, reveals how the government employs various direct and indirect tactics to push citizensContinue reading “Domestic Messaging Apps: Leading in Surveillance, Lagging in Service”
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’”
Introduction of Layered Internet Infrastructure to Public
In August 2023, the Iranian government introduced a new phase of internet restrictions. After a prolonged struggle, two pivotal components of these restrictions, the Regulatory Framework for Online Services (previously known as the “User Protection” bill) and the Layered Internet System, were publicly enforced for the first time that month. The government has also expressedContinue reading “Introduction of Layered Internet Infrastructure to Public”
Policy Monitor — January 2020
Internet disruptions returned during Iran’s January protests, and new legislation regulating messaging apps returned to Parliament.