Iran Shutdown Monitor

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 “

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”

Scheduled Internet Disruptions following the Anniversary of Mahsa (Jina) Amini’s Death

September 16 marked the first anniversary of Mahsa (Jina) Amini and as well as the anniversary of Bloody Friday in the city of Zahedan. Sistan and Baluchestan province has faced weekly internet shutdowns every Friday for a year now. Since November 2019, Iran has implemented internet shutdowns nearly ten times, each in response to eitherContinue reading “Scheduled Internet Disruptions following the Anniversary of Mahsa (Jina) Amini’s Death”

Internet Shutdown in Khuzestan and Nationwide Throttling in Response to Protests

On May 6th, the Iranian government imposed the second internet shutdown in 12 months in the province of Khuzestan in an apparent response to protests against possible rising bread prices and rationing. As of this publication, the shutdown is ongoing, although some limited services became available on May 9. The shutdown began when mobile dataContinue reading “Internet Shutdown in Khuzestan and Nationwide Throttling in Response to Protests”

Internet Shutdown Trends in Iran: November 2019 to July 2021

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”