What's going on with Iran and the internet?

Iran unrest: What's going on with Iran and the internet?

A week of protests against the regime in Iran have resulted in over 20 deaths and hundreds more being arrested. But that hasn’t stopped protestors from rallying their fellow countrymen to their cause, or the government from trying to crackdown on them through technology. What is going on? And what does it mean for the internet in Iran? We answer these questions below.

What’s Happening in Iran

Protests in Iran have been taking place for weeks, but the government has been trying to control what people see about it. It started last December, when Iranians took to the streets to protest a bad economy. The protests turned into violent clashes between security forces and protesters. 

To keep up-to-date on what’s happening, Iranian citizens turn to social media. However, there are reports that authorities in Tehran are working to block access to some sites like Twitter and Facebook. So far they've limited access only to those sites, but if they wanted they could block all of them. As more of the population connects online, it'll become harder for the government to suppress any information. 

It's not just Iran where this is an issue - China is notorious for censoring popular websites. For example, Chinese journalists use Twitter as a way to communicate anonymously and avoid restrictions from their country’s stringent censorship policies. 

China uses advanced technologies such as deep packet inspection (DPI) systems in order to target specific content by inspecting data packets as they enter or leave China’s border points. These DPI systems identify keywords or phrases associated with banned content using deep packet inspection software embedded at these border points and then reroute or block these packets from crossing over China's borders so that no one can access them within China. 

Recently, Apple has removed the New York Times app from its App Store in China because it refused to censor certain articles. In September 2017, Apple was asked to take down another apps which had been updated without authorization; this was later discovered as part of a campaign by human rights group Amnesty International called Calls for Reform. 

There are also reports that authorities in Tehran are working to block access to some sites like Twitter and Facebook. Authorities often do this during periods of political unrest as a way of restricting information. Blocking all outside sites would create chaos in Iran, as many industries rely on being connected internationally. 

But the government does have ways of making life difficult for Iranians who want to access other sites. They can slow down connections to make pages load slowly or disconnect users entirely from their service provider. And it's not just Internet connectivity that can be a problem; police also tear down satellite dishes used by residents to watch television channels broadcasted overseas, leading many Iranians to resort to VPNs in order to gain access. 

They might be getting around the censors, but VPNs are illegal in Iran, meaning anyone found using one risks arrest. This includes private businesses too - even shops selling foreign goods will risk shutting down their operations if found offering VPN services.

A recent report from Amnesty International revealed how easy it is for the Iranian government to spy on its own citizens' digital communications – even encrypted ones – thanks to flaws in operating systems and apps. And you don't need anything fancy; a $10 computer plugged into someone's router will give you full remote access without any passwords needed.

In conclusion, more and more countries are seeing disruptions in internet connection amid intensifying protests or times of unrest. Countries across the world try to control access to news coverage or communication tools like social media. China is well-known for blocking access to Western sites, but Iran has been doing the same with social media sites in the wake of protests. 

Both have a goal of limiting information that could cause unrest and undermine their governments. If a government wants, they can shut down all access to any website or technology they feel threatens their power. We'll see more and more examples of this as more citizens connect to the internet. When people are unhappy with their government, more and more people will turn to the internet to voice their grievances. 

As time goes on, it's going to become increasingly important for governments to find a balance between protecting the citizenry and preserving their power.

Why it Matters to You

Since January of 2018, a series of protests have taken place in Iran. These events have been fueled by economic frustrations and dissatisfaction with the government. The government has responded by blocking social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Telegram and other sites as well as blocking some VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) used to circumvent these blocks. 

It is important for you to understand what is happening in your world so that you can be prepared for any upcoming changes or dangers that may present themselves. 

For this reason, we want to keep you informed about current events around the world and how they might affect your life. 

A reminder about how best to stay informed about current events without fear of censorship from authorities. With no social media sites like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram available inside Iran, citizens have been taking to encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram to share images, videos and text updates with each other on-the-ground. 

In many cases it is unclear whether they are authentic but they still offer an unprecedented level of insight into their daily lives under repression – though not always 100% reliable information due to imposter accounts set up by Iranian government supporters who post propaganda photos edited using pro-government memes onto pro-reform channels. 

One live video showing protesters being arrested went viral and had more than 1 million views. An interesting point of note is that Iranians outside of Iran, especially those in the diaspora who also use social media networks to connect with friends and family back home, have largely turned off notifications on Facebook as well as other apps since doing so means they will be instantly flooded with posts informing them every time someone posts anything new. 

As a result they've resorted to monitoring Telegram groups much more closely. While most Telegram chats are public and open, there are private ones limited to 500 members. To join a private group you must know the secret code word or contact number given at sign-up. 

Anyone could be added to these groups if they happened upon them and didn't know it was private because there is no obvious indication of which chats are public vs which ones aren't when scrolling through channels. We should never presume that our conversations on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram or even email won't be monitored by the people watching everything else - even if we don't think anyone would care enough about us to do so. 

The conversation isn't just between two people - it can potentially involve millions more people too! Imagine if all of the correspondence on social media and chat apps were suddenly blocked by the government. Would you feel powerless and frustrated with the sense of helplessness? 

Or, worse yet, is your child talking to strangers on Snapchat who they met online and now there is no way to protect them from sexual predators as well as cyberbullying? If this sounds familiar then you need to make sure your children are safe online. That's why when kids login to Zoosk they'll automatically see a pop-up reminding them to meet safety tips and make safety arrangements with parents first before they get started. 

They'll also have the option to review age-appropriate safety rules. Chatting with a person you know or a friend is one thing, but when it comes to chatting with strangers it's so important for your kids to be mindful of who they are speaking to and the topics that are discussed. 

It's also necessary for parents to pay attention to the apps and websites their children have on their devices. It can be difficult to monitor social media sites that are constantly changing and shifting. At times it seems like we're playing a game of cat-and-mouse with them. Kids have become very savvy in finding ways to outwit us and avoid our attempts to limit their online time as well as find ways around parental controls.

How To Stay Connected

The Iranian government is blocking mobile phone networks to slow down the transmission of images taken by protesters. This has meant that they were unable to access social media sites such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. To get around this, many Iranians have resorted to using VPNs (Virtual Private Networks). 

These allow users to access blocked content by routing their traffic through a secure server in another country. So far, protesters have been able to use VPNs with little interference from authorities who monitor online activity. However, there are reports that police have confiscated some VPN devices in Tehran during protests. 

VPNs are not perfect though - they can slow down your connection speed, meaning you may have difficulty streaming video or uploading high-quality photos if it takes too long for them to load. A good VPN will provide fast connections speeds without compromising on security. 

With so much censorship happening in Iran, it’s understandable that people are looking for ways to avoid being tracked online. Social media platforms have become crucial channels for organizing demonstrations. Without these channels, protesters might be less likely to find each other and organize new events. 

It seems like officials in Iran are only just starting to realize how important these platforms are to their citizens and how powerful they can be when it comes to protesting against an oppressive regime. They've already learned the hard way, as shortly after cutting off service, communications stopped between organizers and members of the public.

In 2016 we noticed some limitations on communications in Iran, Ahmad Al-Qahtani, a member of Dubai’s National Media Council told NPR. When we checked again last month, the restrictions had increased. But it looks like they've finally realized that these methods are proving to be more successful than their attempts at blocking social media sites alone. 

It's still unclear whether or not services will go back up now that tensions have calmed down but one thing is certain - social media has played a vital role in facilitating change in Iran. Whether that change is permanent remains to be seen but what does seem clear is that future regimes will probably take note of these tactics before imposing any more limits. 

It's also worth noting that China tried something similar when WhatsApp was partially blocked back in 2017. Unsurprisingly, despite China's extensive online monitoring practices, most of its population don't even know what WhatsApp is! Iran is a very different case, and it would be surprising to see the complete shutdown of all telecommunications in the near future. 

Instead, the issue is that Iran is just beginning to understand that social media, such as Instagram and Facebook, have huge implications for their current form of governance. It's not about the fact that they're accessing these sites in the first place, it's about their ability to communicate across borders and to share information anonymously. 

The fact that Iran is beginning to crack down on VPNs shows they are aware of these risks. It is interesting that China followed a similar trajectory as Iran, but ultimately found success with monitoring social media and identifying individuals. This should be a warning sign for Iran that their efforts are only making things worse. 

If they start blocking VPNs and social media sites, then the only option for protesters will be to go offline altogether. The ironic thing is that the Iranian government wants to bring about a halal or pious society but in order to do that, they need to stop limiting the flow of information. Once this starts happening, the movement will lose momentum and dissenters will not be able to connect with one another. 

 No matter what happens in Iran, it's important that their population knows they are not alone. If their leaders continue down this path, it'll show how uninformed and disconnected they are from the general public's needs.