• About
  • Contact Iran News Wire
Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Iran News Wire
  • Home
  • News
  • Iran Protests
  • Iran Economy
  • Human Rights
  • Articles
  • Infographic
    • Infographics Gallery
  • Videos
    • Videos Gallery
  • Reports
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Iran Protests
  • Iran Economy
  • Human Rights
  • Articles
  • Infographic
    • Infographics Gallery
  • Videos
    • Videos Gallery
  • Reports
No Result
View All Result
Iran News Wire
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Iran censorship council orders monitoring of social media accounts, websites

Iran News Wire by Iran News Wire
February 16, 2021
in News
0
Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace

In a new law passed yesterday, Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace said websites and social media accounts with over 5,000 viewers or members will be monitored by judicial and government agencies.

According to the state-run IRNA News Agency, the social media platforms that will be monitored will include Instagram, Twitter, and Telegram.

#Iran's Supreme Council of Cyberspace: Websites and social media accounts (Instagram, Twitter, Telegram) that have over 5k viewers or members will be monitored by judicial and gov. agencies.

Just another way the regime tries to hinder access to information and censor real news. pic.twitter.com/QF44IBNXbT

— Iran News Wire (@IranNW) February 15, 2021

According to IT Iran, a website that covers tech news, the law stipulates that account owners must immediately remove “unreal” information, news, or other content, upon being informed and must post an explanation, then report to the relevant authorities. 

Accounts monitored will include social media channels, pages, websites, and apps that have over 5,000 viewers or members.

According to the new law, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, must establish a mechanism to collect information on the “contact points” of the accounts and social media platforms to “actively combat false information”.

Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace was established in 2012 following a decree by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Khamenei.

According to the Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Iran is included in the list of press freedom’s 20 worst digital predators in 2020, which include companies and government agencies that use digital technology to spy on and harass journalists and thereby jeopardize freedom of access to news and information.

Iran is also ranked 173rd out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2020 World Press Freedom Index.

A master plan of censorship

In October 2020, the Supreme Council of Cyberspace confirmed the National Information Network (intranet) plan, a “master engineering design” for a domestic intranet separate from the global internet for security and censorship purposes.

Proposed in 2005, the National Information Network (NIN) is an ongoing project to develop an infrastructure intranet network. The “master engineering design” was signed by Hassan Rouhani in September.

According to the state-run Mehr, the purpose of the “national” network is to “reduce dependency and prevent foreign access to Iran’s cyberspace”. The news agency also said the NIN would create an environment that would be “in accordance with Iran’s Islamic culture”. The plan includes software services, as well as infrastructure objectives.

The services will include a “national” intranet search engine, messenger, social media platforms, internal email system, user registration and a domestic operating system. An operating system for smartphones with the goal of obtaining at least 20% of the smartphone market has been included in the “master engineering design” according to the report.

It will also include system “enhancements” in Iran’s security, law enforcement and judicial institutions to “identify” and deal with crimes and violations in cyberspace, with an annual goal of 25% crime reduction.

Human rights organizations have expressed concern over the National Information Network plan, saying that Iranians will be denied freedom of information. They say the main goal of the NIN is to cutoff Iranians from the world.

Iran’s cyber freedom

Last year, during November 2019 nationwide protests, the Iranian regime implemented a 3-day internet blackout to suppress protesters and hide the scope of the crackdown.

On October 8, the regime created internet disruptions in Tehran when Iranians who had gathered to pay their respects to legendary singer and musician Mohammad-Reza Shajarian chanted “death to the dictator” echoing the iconic singer’s chant during 2009 protests.

On October 15, two Telegram administrators were arrested in Ardabil, northwestern Iran, for “insulting” officials.

According to a report by Freedom House, the application of national sovereignty to cyberspace is a tactic used by autocratic governments. It has given them “free rein to crack down on human rights while ignoring objections from local civil society and the international community.”

The report said that Iran’s government cut off connections to hide the police’s violent response to mass protests in late 2019 adding that this was “an ultimate expression of contempt for freedoms of association and assembly, as well as for the right to access information.”

Tags: Iran civil libertiesIran internet ban
ShareTweetPinShare
Previous Post

Iranian prisoner of conscience dies in coma from unknown prison medication

Next Post

Former official says Iranians “tired and disenchanted”, warns of major protests

Related Posts

Fariborz Kalantari
Human Rights

Iranian journalist sentenced to 3 years prison, flogging and fine for “insulting” corrupt regime elite

February 7, 2021
IRGC patrols
News

IRGC announces formation of 300 new groups of “religious” patrols in Tehran

January 28, 2021
Mohammad Sadegh Akbari
Human Rights

N Iran Chief Justice threatens civilians who defend themselves against morality police

November 18, 2020
Next Post
Mostafa Tajzadeh

Former official says Iranians “tired and disenchanted”, warns of major protests

Gholamhossein Esmaeli

Iran sentences one person to death for being in contact with opposition group

Discussion about this post

Tags

Ali Khamenei (31) Arbitrary Detention (7) Esmail Bakhshi (10) Finger Amputation (11) Fuel carriers (11) Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Company (7) Human Rights Violations (5) Iran's arbitrary killings (29) Iran's COVID-19 outbreak (86) Iran arrests (11) Iran civil liberties (14) Iran Economy (99) Iran Education (12) Iran executions (34) Iran flogging (24) Iran floods (26) Iran human rights activists (6) Iranian Baha'is (13) Iranian Christians (6) Iran internet ban (7) Iran National Steel Group workers (5) Iran pensioners (6) Iran plane shootdown (6) Iran political prisoners (90) Iran porters (11) Iran poverty (83) Iran prisons (6) Iran Protests (244) Iran protests 2019 (28) Iran regime change (27) Iran religious discrimination (10) Iran sanctions (12) Iran suicides (11) Iran torture (80) Iran truck drivers (6) Iran unemployment (7) Iran workers (16) Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) (28) JCPOA (5) Killed under torture (6) Kolbar (9) Navid Afkari (10) Qasem Soleimani (12) Religious minorities (20) Sistan and Baluchestan Protests (9)

Don't Miss

Four Arab Ahvazi political prisoners executed in SW Iran

Four Arab Ahvazi political prisoners executed in SW Iran

March 1, 2021
Sistan-Baluchestan protests

Protests in SE Iran are just the tip of the iceberg

March 1, 2021
Sistan and Baluchestan protests

Protesters beaten and detained in volatile SE province

February 28, 2021
Sistan and Baluchestan protests- fuel carriers

A look into Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan protests and the underlying reasons

February 27, 2021

Recommended

Locals take over IRGC base in SE Iran

Protesters take over IRGC base in SE Iran after Guards kill dozens of Baluch “fuel carriers”

6 days ago
Don’t be fooled by Khamenei’s COVID-19 conspiracy theories

Iranian regime seems confused in Biden’s US

1 week ago
public flogging iran

Man and woman accused of adultery sentenced to lashes in Tehran

2 weeks ago

About Us

Iran News Wire is home to real news on Iran. We are dedicated to honest and reliable reporting.
We aim to be the voice of the Iranian people and their protests for freedom and democracy at a time when the Iranian government wants to silence dissent and suppress their voices for democracy.
Our network incorporates sources from inside the country as well as those outside of Iran.
We advocate regime change for a free Iran that will end government corruption, environmental disasters, as well as human rights violations, carried out systematically by the Iranian regime.

Contact us for more information on the latest news on Iran protests, human rights violations, and the state of the economy.

The Latest on Iran

Four Arab Ahvazi political prisoners executed in SW Iran

Four Arab Ahvazi political prisoners executed in SW Iran

March 1, 2021
Sistan-Baluchestan protests

Protests in SE Iran are just the tip of the iceberg

March 1, 2021
Sistan and Baluchestan protests

Protesters beaten and detained in volatile SE province

February 28, 2021
Sistan and Baluchestan protests- fuel carriers

A look into Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan protests and the underlying reasons

February 27, 2021

Categories

  • Articles
  • Human Rights
  • Infographic
  • Iran Economy
  • Iran Protests
  • News
  • Reports
  • Video

Follow us

Subscribe to our newsletter

    • About
    • Contact Iran News Wire

    © 2021 Iran News Wire

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • News
    • Iran Protests
    • Iran Economy
    • Human Rights
    • Articles
    • Infographic
      • Infographics Gallery
    • Videos
      • Videos Gallery
    • Reports

    © 2021 Iran News Wire

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password?

    Create New Account!

    Fill the forms below to register

    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In

    Add New Playlist