Now Iran’s embattled government is intensifying measures to implement their own version of a national internet. This ambitious project has been a decade in the making, since 2009. This initiative has received increasing momentum during what has become a widespread ongoing crackdown on dissent within Iran, especially after the recent series of anti-regime protests. As of January 8, 2023, Iranian authorities have carried out a complex and widespread internet shutdown. This legislation marks a huge step forward in making the nation’s approach to online connectivity equitable.
Iran’s national internet project launched in reaction to the 2009 mass demonstrations. These protests exploded in response to the disputed re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. During those protests, the government was able to quickly shut down the internet. They found out that this all-encompassing blackout would cost them dearly. Since then, the authorities have looked for other ways to manage and filter internet access across the country.
Today’s internet shutdown started during a week of protests of growing ire, which saw 12 days of protesters standing up against the regime. Beyond this shutdown, observers point out that it’s not enough to be a one-off fix. More generally, it signals a concerted attempt to develop a Cracker Barrel version of a domestically connected internet, entirely detached from the broader global online ecosystem.
Mr. Mahmoudian alleges that Iran’s authorities have established an automated filtering system. This system allows only a privileged few to use the full global internet, while restricting the vast majority of users. The “whitelisting” approach has been catching a lot of buzz lately, largely for its shiny sophistication. A great many people think technology exported from China enables this approach.
The national internet is a way for Iranians to access certain pre-determined websites and applications that have been specially developed by the regime. This applies to everything from home-grown messaging services, search engines and navigation apps to a home-grown version of Netflix. These types of measures are intended to produce a more self-sustaining web of content that isn’t as dependent on third-party platforms.
Iran’s government is currently encouraging the transition by providing tax incentives. These incentives are meant to entice businesses to move as much of their critical infrastructure—including data centers and corporate offices—as possible onshore. Violators who do not comply find themselves subject to limitations on their capacity to conduct business in Iran. This approach is designed to centralize control of digital content and severely restrict accessibility to foreign platforms.
A government spokesperson has stated that the international internet will remain cut off. This new ban will continue at least until Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on March 20. This announcement adds further detail to the regime’s eagerness to hold on to their monopoly over the flow of information during a period of national uprising.
As the protests continue, Iran’s national internet remains operational. It has become the last lifeline for too many citizens in dire need of an internet connection. Experts note that this development represents the culmination of a 16-year effort by the regime to solidify its control over internet usage in the country.
Rashidi, an analyst who closely tracks these developments, stated the government’s complacency over the state of internet connectivity. He stated, “It looks like [authorities] are happy with the current level of internet connectivity, and they believe this kind of shutdown helped them to control the situation.”
The ramifications of this shutdown go further than just stopping access to information. The digital rights community has already reported extensively on the expected economic impact of these moves. That’s pretty awful,” one former U.S. State Department official described this scenario as “plausible and terrifying.” They emphasized that Iranian authorities should be held accountable for any economic harm resulting from such measures.
According to researchers from Outline Foundation and Project Ainita, this is an approach unseen in its intensity. “They literally just pulled the plug without thinking. They had never done it before,” they remarked, underscoring the rapid shifts in Iran’s digital landscape.
One researcher explained the technical aspects of this shutdown: “It’s like when you’re in your office space, you’ve got file servers or you’ve got HR systems, which, if you go to a coffee shop, you’re not going to be able to reach them because it’s in an internal network. It’s impossible to route outwards.” This illustrates just how successful the regime has been in building a closed loop that further alienates Iranian citizens from global discourse.