{"id":244321,"date":"2021-08-05T07:47:17","date_gmt":"2021-08-05T12:47:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=244321"},"modified":"2023-01-31T12:04:03","modified_gmt":"2023-01-31T11:04:03","slug":"iran-tehran-fails-in-diminishing-unrest-through-expanded-control-of-internet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-tehran-fails-in-diminishing-unrest-through-expanded-control-of-internet\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran: Tehran Fails In Diminishing Unrest Through Expanded Control Of Internet"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Iran-Internet\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As ongoing protests<\/a> in Iran were reaching the end of their second week, the regime\u2019s parliament was quietly passing<\/a> legislation to expand the filtering procedures for an already tightly-controlled domestic internet. If implemented, the new law will ban any foreign websites and social media<\/a> networks that do not comply with the regime\u2019s regulations or appoint an Iranian representative to verify that compliance. The law will also require those sites to register Iranian users and to provide regime authorities with data upon request.<\/p>\n

A number of experts on cyberspace have reacted to the news by noting that Tehran\u2019s scheme could result in the country\u2019s civilian population being barred from all major international sources of information, including the Google search engine. If recent history is any guide, however, the same restrictions would be waived for regime officials and other well-connected individuals. Many of them, including the regime\u2019s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, maintain an active presence on Twitter to this day, even though it has been formally banned since the time of the protests in 2009.<\/p>\n

This double standard goes to show that the Iranian regime is intent on maintaining a one-sided relationship with information, or rather with propaganda. This goal is reflected also in the forced closure of independent newspapers and other media outlets, which occurs on a semi-regular basis as regime authorities attempt to channel public attention toward the omnipresent state media. Countless Iranians defy these efforts every day, using illegal satellite television hookups and virtual proxy networks to work around government restrictions. But that defiance only highlights the constant battle which prompts the regime to always seek out new and more elaborate ways of reinforcing control.<\/p>\n

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Iran: Internet Censorship Plan and Regime\u2019s Deadlock #Iran<\/a> #IranProtests<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/AYdmGeZBSi<\/a><\/p>\n

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 30, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n