{"id":2551,"date":"2020-10-26T15:08:08","date_gmt":"2020-10-26T15:08:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/?p=2551"},"modified":"2025-06-03T08:41:04","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T08:41:04","slug":"policy-monitor-september-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/2020\/10\/26\/policy-monitor-september-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Policy Monitor &#8211; September 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This September, the Supreme Council for Cyberspace returned to work after a two-month absence, holding two meetings. This month also marked further infrastructural developments relating to the National Information Network (NIN), as ICT Minister Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi claimed that all of the country\u2019s schools \u2018have been connected to the National Information Network\u2019. At the same time, a number of network disruptions to WhatsApp services were also observed this month: our monthly <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/2020\/10\/13\/network-monitor-september-2020\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Network Monitor<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> has more details about the incident, alongside other network disruptions this month.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2350\" src=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/Unknown-300x29.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"921\" height=\"89\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/Unknown-300x29.png 300w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/Unknown-1024x98.png 1024w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/Unknown-768x74.png 768w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/Unknown.png 1501w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 921px) 100vw, 921px\" \/><b>Supreme Council for Cyberspace Holds Two Meetings following its Silence for as Many Months\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.khabaronline.ir\/news\/1433007\/%D9%85%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%DB%8C-%D9%81%D8%B6%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B2%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D8%B6%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%B1%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%B3-%D8%AC%D9%85%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">15 September<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> the Supreme Council for Cyberspace (SCC) held its first meeting since June 2020. Khabar Online reported that during the meeting, the overarching \u2018macro-level\u2019 plan for the implementation of the NIN project had been completed and approved. This planning process <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/filterwatch\/filterwatch-policy-monitor-february-2020-41db0293f2e0\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">commenced in February 2020<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Two weeks later on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ict.gov.ir\/fa\/newsagency\/24656\/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%AF-%D9%BE%DB%8C%D8%B4%DA%AF%DB%8C%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D9%88-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%B9-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%81%D8%B6%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B2%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%A8-%D8%B4%D8%AF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">29 September<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a second SCC meeting was held, where part of a resolution for \u2018combating the publication of false information and news\u2019 was approved. According to the approved text, a bill for combatting false news and information will be prepared by the Judiciary with assistance from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. The proposed bill is to be developed within three months, after which it will be presented to Iran\u2019s Parliament for approval.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Despite the harmful effects of disinformation and misinformation, given the Iranian government\u2019s track record on tackling these issues (such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/2020\/05\/26\/irans-self-isolated-internet-is-ill-equipped-to-confront-covid-19\/\">arrests<\/a> which took place during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic)\u00a0and in the absence of an independent and fair judiciary<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, such legislation will give overreaching legal powers to restrict the freedom of expression of citizens online.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This month the SCC also published two new resolutions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>\u2018Policies and Requirements for Supporting Competition and Combating Monopolies in Cyberspace Platforms\u2019<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">,<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">which is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/digiato.com\/article\/2020\/08\/12\/%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%AF-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AD%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%BE%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%85%E2%80%8C%D9%87%D8%A7\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">set<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to \u2018encourage competition and prevent the formation of monopolies in cyberspace through transparency\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One of the more dangerous and worrying sections of the resolution is contained in Article 7 which is titled <\/span><b>\u2018Requirements from Platform Service Providers towards the Government\u2019<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, under which, platforms are required to \u2018present their requested data to the Competition Council to facilitate their research and investigation procedures. This is in line with the realisation of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcls.gov.ir\/fa\/law\/260\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Article 60<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of General policies of Article 44 of the Constitution.\u2019 The Article does not define limits and amount of access to such data, which can result in government authorities being able to access vast amounts of personal private data. There is also no information on how this information should be accessed and any requirement to protect the transfer of this data and anonymisation of personally identifiable data. Some have also criticised the same article and the resolution for creating a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.khabaronline.ir\/news\/1437087\/%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D8%AD%D9%82%D9%88%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B4%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%B2%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%AF%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%DB%8C-%D9%81%D8%B6%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B2%DB%8C-%D9%88%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%AF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2018difficult environment<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2019 for the growth of online platforms, especially for startups.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This resolution has the potential to extend state access and control over the private technology sector, as well as further restricting the accessibility of international platforms in Iran.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/peivast.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA%E2%80%8C%D9%87%D8%A7-%D9%88-%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA%E2%80%8C%D9%87%D8%A7.pdf\"><b>\u2018Instructions for Management of Bots and Robots in Cyberspace\u2019<\/b><\/a><b>, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">which will seek to regulate the activities of bots online. The resolution defines bots under five categories:\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Information production and dissemination bots which aim to have \u2018social influence\u2019, such as bots who send \u2018mass text messages, or mass messages on social media, or push notifications\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Information and content collection bots, such as search engines, who\u2019s more important aims are to \u2018create databases from online content\u2019.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Non-content service bots, such as chatbots, survey bots etc, who often operate in messaging or other mobile applications.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bots involved in financial transactions<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Disruptive bots that threaten cybersecurity<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to the instructions provided by this resolution, the ICT Ministry, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, and the Ministry for Industry, Mine and Trade are each allocated the different categories of bots to regulate and manage. The resolution sets out that one month after its communication the ministries must provide an action plan and timeline for the realisation of the duties set out for them under the resolution.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2349\" src=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/Unknown-1-300x29.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"87\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/Unknown-1-300x29.png 300w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/Unknown-1-1024x98.png 1024w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/Unknown-1-768x73.png 768w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/Unknown-1.png 1501w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>Iran\u2019s ICT Minister: \u201cAll of the Country\u2019s Schools have been Connected to the National Information Network\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In a tweet on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/azarijahromi\/status\/1301034668024889345\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2 September<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Iran\u2019s ICT Minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi announced that with the cooperation of the Education Ministry, all of the country\u2019s schools had been \u2018connected to the NIN\u2019, giving them access to \u2018free internet\u2019. He added that the completion of this project was delayed due to \u201cobstacles in procuring equipment\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The connection of essential services such as schools, universities, and hospitals to the NIN will allow them to remain connected in the event of a state-ordered internet shutdown, like the one that took place in November 2019. It can also facilitate greater state surveillance of user activities, with more data and services hosted on domestic infrastructure under state jurisdiction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Launch of a Second Marine Fibre Optic Route for Persian Gulf Islands\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.isna.ir\/news\/99062418035\/%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AA%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AD-%D9%85%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%85-%D9%81%DB%8C%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%AC-%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">14 September<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Deputy ICT Minister Hamid Fatahi announced the launch of the second Marine Fibre Optic route for the islands of Kish, Qeshm and Kharak. According to Fatahi, the project cost 320,000,000,000 IIR (7,600,047.36 USD), and made use of \u201cdomestic capabilities\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2353\" src=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/image-300x29.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"910\" height=\"88\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/image-300x29.png 300w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/image-1024x98.png 1024w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/image-768x74.png 768w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/image.png 1501w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 910px) 100vw, 910px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>First Batch of \u201cDomestic-Made\u201d Mobile Phones to be Distributed by Irancell\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/irancell.ir\/b\/15476\/%D9%88%D8%B2%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%B1-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%BE%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">14 September<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Jahromi announced the release of the first batch of \u201cdomestically produced\u201d mobile phones. The phones are produced by Iran Electronics Industry (a subsidiary of Iran\u2019s Ministry of Defence), and are being distributed via the telecommunications operator MTN Irancell. According to Jahromi, loan facilities are to be made available to consumers to support them to purchase these phones.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is unclear to what extent the phones were produced\/manufactured or designed in Iran, however, it has been observed that the phone bears resounding similarities to the Chinese manufactured <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ulefone.com\/power-6.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ulefone Power 6<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> but with added \u2018VRIA\u2019 branding.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ICTNA<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the mobile phones <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ictna.ir\/id\/116325\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">use<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> the brand name \u2018VIRA\u2019 and come in two models \u2013\u00a0 the V5 and V6 \u2013 and are said to be using the Android operating system and the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gizmochina.com\/2018\/12\/25\/mediatek-helio-p35-benchmark-score\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Helio P35<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> chipset.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2552 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/Screenshot-2020-10-26-at-12.54.47-300x164.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"540\" height=\"295\" data-wp-editing=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/Screenshot-2020-10-26-at-12.54.47-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/Screenshot-2020-10-26-at-12.54.47-768x421.png 768w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/Screenshot-2020-10-26-at-12.54.47.png 916w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2018VIRA model V6\u2019 - Taken from<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ictna.ir\/id\/116325\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> ICTNA<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The release of the phones comes following the signing of an agreement between MTN Irancell and the Postal Bank in December 2019. The agreement was in relation to \u2018supporting the production and expansion of the domestic produced smartphone ecosystem\u2019. The production and distribution of low-cost domestic mobile phones and other technologies plays an important role in creating a system of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/2019\/09\/19\/is-layered-filtering-the-future-of-irans-national-information-network\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\"layered filtering\"<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and internet localisation in the country, and risks locking lower-income users into hardware bundled with apps and services designed to limit access to content and services on the global Internet<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Free Internet Package for 700,000 Teachers and Internet Packages for Students<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On the evening of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ict.gov.ir\/fa\/newsagency\/24602\/%D9%81%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B2%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%DB%B7%DB%B0%DB%B0-%D9%87%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%85-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA-%DB%B2%DB%B0-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%A8\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">14 September<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Jahromi also announced the launch of a three-month free internet package for 700,000 teachers. He announced that internet packages were being created for students, which will give them access to \u2018whitelisted\u2019 websites which have been identified in coordination with the Education Ministry. Additional internet packages for university students and teachers are to be announced in due course. Data consumption via the \u2018Shad\u2019 education platform has already been made free for users.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2354\" src=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/image-1-300x29.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"910\" height=\"88\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/image-1-300x29.png 300w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/image-1-1024x98.png 1024w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/image-1-768x73.png 768w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/image-1.png 1501w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 910px) 100vw, 910px\" \/><b>Telecommunications Infrastructure Company 'Hijacks\u2019 Google IP Addresses\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ProjectAinita\/status\/1307327860630224897\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">19 September<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Project Ainita reported that Iran\u2019s Telecommunications Infrastructure Company (TIC) had \u2018hijacked\u2019 and was rerouting a number of Google IP addresses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In response, Sajad Bonabi, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the TIC claimed that the issue was the result of \u2018misconfiguration\u2019 in the network. Find out more about this incident and other network disruptions this September in our monthly <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/2020\/10\/13\/network-monitor-september-2020\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Network Monitor<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Final Verdict on Amad News Administrator\u2019s Appeal \u201cHas Not Been Communicated\u201d to His Legal Team\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In an interview with <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ISNA <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.isna.ir\/news\/99062620165\/%D9%88%DA%A9%DB%8C%D9%84-%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B9-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AD-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%B2%D9%85-%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D9%87%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B2-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%BA-%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">16 September<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> the defense lawyer for the AmadNews channel administrator Ruhollah Zam mentioned that the final verdict on Zam\u2019s application to appeal his death penalty sentence had not yet been communicated to him. This is despite the Head of Iran\u2019s Supreme Court announcing that their review had been completed. He added that he would be likely to find out their verdict in the following week, however no further details appear to have been reported yet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2351\" src=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/1bBd387obsFIVH_CX96xa6Q-300x29.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"87\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/1bBd387obsFIVH_CX96xa6Q-300x29.png 300w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/1bBd387obsFIVH_CX96xa6Q-1024x98.png 1024w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/1bBd387obsFIVH_CX96xa6Q-768x74.png 768w, https:\/\/filter.watch\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/06\/1bBd387obsFIVH_CX96xa6Q.png 1501w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>Disruptions to WhatsApp Business Accounts Observed\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/2020\/10\/13\/network-monitor-september-2020\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">9 September<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Filterwatch observed disruptions to WhatsApp business accounts. On 20 September disruptions to WhatsApp\u2019s desktop services were also reported. Jahromi <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/donya-e-eqtesad.com\/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D8%B3%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-62\/3693989-%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%BE-%DA%86%DB%8C%D8%B3%D8%AA\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">claimed <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">that the disruption to What\u2019sApp\u2019s desktop version is due to \u2018[WhatsApp\u2019s] servers, and not related to Iran\u2019s network\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Find out more about this incident and other network disruptions in our monthly <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/en\/2020\/10\/13\/network-monitor-september-2020\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Network Monitor<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This September, the Supreme Council for Cyberspace returned to work after a two-month absence, holding two meetings. This month also marked further infrastructural developments relating to the National Information Network (NIN), as ICT Minister Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi claimed that all of the country\u2019s schools \u2018have been connected to the National Information Network\u2019. At the same<a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/2020\/10\/26\/policy-monitor-september-2020\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">\"Policy Monitor &#8211; September 2020\"<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2553,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2551","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-network-monitor","entry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2551","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2551"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2551\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2553"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2551"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2551"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2551"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}