The “Policies and Measures for Regulating Social Messaging Apps” resolution was approved by the Supreme Council of Cyberspace after five review sessions in August 2017. The aim of the resolution is to promote the use of domestic messaging platforms and to regulate the operation of international messaging platforms.
According to the resolution, “domestic messaging platform refers” to a messaging system where more than fifty percent of its shares belong to an Iranian individual. Additionally, it should be hosted within Iran and subject to government authority.
As mentioned in the preamble of the legislation, the text aims to influence domestic and foreign messaging apps in Iran. The impact of this policy will ultimately be felt by users. The legislation emphasizes that all messaging apps must obtain a license from the government. Otherwise, they will not be able to operate in Iran. A committee composed of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the Ministry of Intelligence, the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology of the President’s Office, the Attorney General’s Office, the Islamic Propagation Organization, the FATA Cyber Police Force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the IRIB have established regulations for obtaining licenses. Due to sanctions and the current political conditions in Iran, these companies cannot obtain a license.
If a license is granted, according to clause 3-2-10 of the legislation, the messaging app holder “is obliged to cooperate with authorized officials within the framework of the country’s laws and regulations.” Therefore, the possibility of controlling the content of messaging apps will be further facilitated for the government.
This legislation also requires government and non-governmental companies to advertise only through messaging apps with more than one million active users. Considering that there are currently no accurate statistics on the number of messaging app users, and indirect downloads (outside of common Android markets) are not possible, forcing citizens to use specific platforms and a history of government coercion may lead to increased rent-seeking and non-organic influence in this space.
The legislation also states that content production on this platform must be based on Iranian/Islamic culture. In this regard, the Ministry of Islamic Guidance is obliged to provide regulations and conditions for content publication, advertising, safeguarding data against violations, abnormalities, and cultural invasions.
https://www.isna.ir/news/97082813960/