Featured stories about Iran
Stories about Iran
Repeated cyberattacks across the Western Balkans highlight need for an organized approach to security
Microsoft experts trace the Albanian attack, which took out public services websites to Iran, leading the Albanian government to take diplomatic action.
Iranian women’s rights activists face new online threats
Flooding social media accounts with fake followers and then mass reporting the accounts is a regular tactic used by state forces to silence rights defenders in Iran.
Coronavirus and surveillance technology: How far will governments go?
''While surveillance technologies and measures may give the public a sense of security in controlling the spread of the virus, we must remain mindful and vigilant of their continued use after the pandemic subsides.''
Two Iranian rights activists revisit the November 2019 internet shutdown
“Hundreds of protestors were killed in a matter of three days and most of the world was not aware of what happened.’’
Iran’s drive to block international services continues with Google Play ban
The decision to block Google Play is consistent with the authorities' strategy to foist home-grown Iranian apps and services on Iranian internet users and limit the availability of international services.
Iran’s Draft Data Protection Act: Too little but not too late
While lawmakers wait to ratify the Draft Act, they must pay heed to international digital rights standards in the new Draft Law for the Personal Data Protection and Safeguarding
Netizen Report: As water levels rise, Iran’s ban on messaging apps is slowing emergency relief for flood victims
Iranians ask for censorship pause in face of fatal floods, Indians suspect Facebook of election meddling and Australia tries to ban violent videos.
Government official says the ban on messaging apps is slowing flood relief in Iran
"In situations where sharing information is vital, censorship can turn into a deadly phenomenon."
Iranian environmentalists fear death penalty after a year behind bars
Public prosecutors built much of their case against the group from a forced confession made by one of the activists.
Censored in 2018: Protest videos, court verdicts, real news — and Peppa Pig
From blocked websites to revoked media licenses to account shutdowns, censorship comes in many forms. Here are a few we saw in 2018.
In Iran, state-sanctioned messaging apps are the new hallmark of internet nationalization
Since they censored Telegram, Iranian officials have deployed aggressive measures in an effort to promote national messaging services.
Iran’s telecommunications company illegally rerouted Telegram app traffic
In a new move aimed at tightening the state-imposed ban on the Telegram messaging app, the Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI) temporarily rerouted Telegram app traffic in violation of domestic law in July 2018.In a new move aimed at tightening the state-imposed ban on the Telegram messaging app, the Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI) temporarily rerouted Telegram app traffic in violation of domestic law in July 2018.
Iranian authorities arrest ‘Instagram celebrities’, in effort to assert control over social media
Iranian authorities announce plans to filter Instagram because of the evils of "Instagram celebrities". A few days later, the state broadcaster reveals the arrest of several "Instagram celebrities."
Iranian parody band sings a love song for Telegram after its block
"Just when I was relying on you, you were suddenly blocked and gone and all I have left is this VPN, that's the only bridge between you and I."
Telegram channel administrator could get death penalty for “insulting the Prophet”
Article 262 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code dictates that “Anyone who swears at or commits qazf [slander] against the Great Prophet [of Islam]...shall be sentenced to the death penalty.”
Netizen Report: What do Iran, Pakistan and Russia have in common? They all ban Telegram.
The Advox Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in internet rights around the world.
The chilling effect of officials discussing Telegram's imminent ban in Iran
Some officials say Telegram is set to be blocked at the end of April. Although the app remains technically unfiltered at the moment, usage among Iranians is down.
Iranian Detainees Face Privacy Violations, Public Smear Campaigns
Two cases in Iran highlight new signs of violations of due process and in how personal electronic devices are seized and the right to privacy is violated.
Evidence Says Iran Throttled Telegram Connections After January Protests
User reports and various data suggests even after the Iranian government removed censorship on the popular messaging and social media platform, they were still slowing down speeds.
Protests Underscore the Potential Power of Iran's Access to Information Law
This is an opportune time to fully enforce efforts towards transparency after Iran's December-January protests. The first step must be a full implementation of Iran’s Access to Information law.
