In Iran, restrictions on access to social networks are increasing
In Iran, access to the internet has been limited, access to social networks prohibited (illustration image).
REUTERS - UMIT BEKTAS
Text by: Siavosh Ghazi
2 mins
Since the start of social protest following the death of Mahsa Amini on September 16, Iranian authorities have limited internet access and blocked Instagram and WhatsApp.
As a result, for the past month, Iranians who use these two platforms in their work have encountered many difficulties.
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from our correspondent in Tehran,
Many Iranians used Instagram for their daily work, especially for sales of different products like air tickets.
But since
the Iranian authorities blocked Instagram and WhatsApp
, they face many difficulties.
To justify this ban, the authorities argue that opposition groups used these networks to learn how to handle weapons or to make Molotov cocktails in order to attack police stations or official buildings.
Instagram was also used for rally calls.
Similarly, on some pages, opponents published photos of police or Islamist militiamen asking people to attack them.
► Also to listen: In Iran, control of the internet is getting stronger
Very low internet bandwidth
Regarding the internet, each time there are demonstrations, the speed is greatly reduced.
Sometimes
it is totally cut off.
This was also the case in several cities of Iranian Kurdistan for the fortieth day of mourning for
Mahsa Amini
, who died while detained by the morality police.
Obviously, the authorities do not want to reverse their decision to ban Instagram and WhatsApp.
Twitter or YouTube have been blocked for several years.
Many Iranians, however, used VPNs to be able to use these networks, but again, some providers no longer work and when the bandwidth is reduced, Internet users cannot use VPNs.
Local social networks
Power offers local social networks to replace Instagram or WhatsApp like Rubica, a messaging system.
But many Iranians refuse to use them, claiming that they are government-controlled
social networks
.
But if the ban on social networks and foreign messengers continues, many will be forced to use local networks to communicate or to resume their activities.
►
To read also:
Iran: faced with the repression of the demonstrations, "people are trying other forms of action"
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