{"id":1851,"date":"2019-11-19T04:28:45","date_gmt":"2019-11-19T04:28:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/?p=1851"},"modified":"2025-06-03T08:41:05","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T08:41:05","slug":"filterwatch-october-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/2019\/11\/19\/filterwatch-october-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Policy Monitor \u2014 October 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

October was a significant month for digital rights in Iran. The implementation of the \u201clayered filtering\u201d system gained new momentum, with the text for the \u201cValid Identity System in Cyberspace\u201d resolution finally being published almost two months after it was passed by the Supreme Council for Cyberspace, revealing plans for creating multi-level online IDs verified by the ICT Ministry. Without these verified IDs users will not be able to take part in any online activities. The resolution also reveals that many more legal and policy instruments planned to be presented in the following months will implement verified online identities, effectively putting an end to online privacy in any meaningful sense.<\/p>\n

This month also saw the arrest of Ruhollah Zam, the administrator of the high-profile, anti-government Telegram channel Amad News, by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The IRGC subsequently took over his Telegram channel. While much speculation and hype has surrounded the circumstances of his arrest, once again Telegram has failed to react appropriately and respond to the privacy threat posed to the channel\u2019s subscribers and active users.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, ICT Minister Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi celebrated his own \u201cvictory\u201d on Twitter for enabling refunds to be granted to Iranian internet users for previously purchased Value Added Services.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

Supreme Council for Cyberspace Publishes Text of \u2018Valid Identity System in Cyberspace\u2019 Resolution<\/strong><\/p>\n

We have been reporting on the suggestion of \u201clayered filtering\u201d since the term was first used by ICT Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi in December 2017.\u00a0We described<\/a>\u00a0what this system might look like in reality, with different levels of internet restrictions being imposed on citizens based on their professional status and\/or identities.<\/p>\n

For some time, the only legal instrument for realising this system has been the \u2018Valid Identity System in Cyberspace\u2019 resolution, which was passed by the Supreme Council on Cyberspace (SCC) on 23 August 2019. The resolution was\u00a0published publicly<\/a>\u00a0for the first time in October.<\/p>\n

In summary, the resolution calls for the following;<\/p>\n