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”
Tag Archives: localisation
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”
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”
The Iranian government’s use of technology to control and surveil its citizens
Iran’s seventh development plan bill outlines various infrastructure projects for different sectors of the country, to be carried out over five years (from 2023 through 2027). This plan has not yet been approved by the parliament, and its discussion was planned for September 25, but no update has been reported since then. A significant portionContinue reading “The Iranian government’s use of technology to control and surveil its citizens”
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”
Swift Price Hike Comes After The Islamic Republic Fails To Increase Domestic Internet Use
In March, Iranian internet users suddenly were faced with a significant rise in the cost of their internet. Major internet service providers (ISPs) hiked their prices 30% to 100%. Iranians took to social media in droves to complain. As a population struggling to make ends meet amid their country’s economic crisis, many households risk noContinue reading “Swift Price Hike Comes After The Islamic Republic Fails To Increase Domestic Internet Use”
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”