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”
Tag Archives: National Information Network
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”
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”
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”
Disruption of Iran’s Private Tech Sector
The growth of Iran’s tech startup community, once observed with awe due to its exponential growth which began around a decade ago, has been experiencing a slow-down. A contributing factor has been the increasingly apparent pressures exerted by Iranian authorities in order to bring the country’s private tech sector further under government control, with newsContinue reading “Disruption of Iran’s Private Tech Sector”
Policy Monitor – December 2021
The publication of our December 2021 Policy Monitor coincides with the second anniversary of the tragic shooting down of the Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 — which resulted in the deaths of all 176 passengers and crew on board — by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The victims of the tragedy are remembered onlineContinue reading “Policy Monitor – December 2021”
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”