The SCC approved the resolution in January 2021, which was ratified a month later. Its aim are “to protect the health and security of society, reduce the harms of preventive and responsive measures, and increase the level of coordination, responsibility, and accountability to confront abnormalities and the consequences of producing and disseminating false information, news, and untrue content.”
This resolution specifies the responsibility of Iranian government agencies in relation to “false news” on social media:
The Judiciary, Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, and the SCC: drafting a judicial bill to combat false information, news, and unrealistic content.
Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance:
- Identification and verification of high-traffic gateways, preparation of the mentioned list (database)
- Creation of a monitoring and information verification structure + creation of a reference platform for information dissemination through cooperation with media, civil institutions, and user-friendly applications
- Creation of a unit window for communication between platform owners and agencies for immediate response
- Preparation of contact channels with foreign messengers (with the help of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- Implementation of an authentication and ranking system for various databases (with the help of IRIB)
- Offering awards for quality publishing
- Developing professional ethics and social responsibility regulations (with the help of professionals and media activists)
- Enhancing media literacy of the general public (with the help of the Ministry of Education, Research and Technology, Health, and IRIB)
- Establishing a documentation system for legal actions and combating misconduct and non-cooperation of foreign media platforms (in collaboration with the Attorney General’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- Domestic media portals will be placed under the supervision of the Press Supervisory Board.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
- Combating “organized operations” of foreign media platforms that spread false content with the help of legal and diplomatic capacities.
- IRIB:
- Preparing field reports to prevent the dissemination of news with regional, ethnic, and national consequences.
- Media platforms:
- Using human and machine methods or connecting to fact-checking gateways to identify false news, immediately deleting incorrect information, and reporting to legal authorities.
- Creating intelligent mechanisms to identify and remove false news and presenting them to content publishers.
The first clause emphasizes the existence of “rumors” on social media and messaging platforms. As a result, internet users, particularly those on social networks (both domestic and international), are affected by this plan. Moreover, the messaging platforms and social networks themselves are also under government supervision in terms of content production, and are identified according to the various provisions of this resolution. Using the charge of “false or fake news” authorities can target government opposition, criticisms, especially to control journalists and news outlets, potentially increasing self-censorship.
Supreme Leader Khamenei, Hossein Shariatmadari, Parliament Member Shamsollah Sharifnejad
https://www.qavanin.ir/Law/TreeText/291343