Iran tightens internet rules to boost local platforms

Iran introduces tighter internet regulations to promote local platforms while discouraging the use of foreign ones, including banning VPNs without legal permits, aiming to reshape the country’s online landscape.

Iran’s top internet governing body has unveiled a new regulatory directive aimed at steering Iranians towards local platforms while discouraging the use of foreign ones. The directive, approved by Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei, introduces rules with significant implications for Iran’s already restricted internet landscape.

The Supreme Council of Cyberspace (SCC) has prohibited the use of virtual private networks (VPNs), referred to as “refinement-breaking tools,” unless users obtain a legal permit. This move aims to curb the widespread use of VPNs by Iranians to bypass internet restrictions and access banned foreign platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Telegram.

Advertisement

Despite the previous ban on the purchase and sale of VPNs in 2022, the new directive sparked backlash online as it extends the prohibition to their usage without commercial transactions. Many Iranians rely on VPNs to access the free internet, making the potential ban concerning for the general public.

SCC Secretary Mohammad Amin Aghamiri clarified that the regulations primarily target top state entities and not the general public. However, the directive includes other provisions aimed at reshaping Iran’s internet landscape.

The directive instructs the culture ministry to collaborate with other ministries to incentivize content creators and businesses on foreign platforms to transition to local ones. It sets a goal to bring at least half of the target audience to local platforms within six months, challenging the dominance of foreign platforms like Instagram and YouTube.

Furthermore, the directive prohibits legal entities from advertising on foreign platforms and tasks relevant authorities with monitoring compliance and reporting quarterly.

Additionally, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) ministry is mandated to offer essential government services exclusively on local platforms within six months.

The directive also outlines plans to provide technical capabilities for accessing useful foreign services through “governable formats,” including negotiations for foreign platforms to establish representative offices in Iran and the creation of unblocked “shells” of foreign platforms.

While these measures aim to promote local platforms and restrict access to foreign ones, they raise concerns about privacy and data security. The Iranian government’s efforts to control the internet have intensified following nationwide protests, leading to increased internet restrictions and surveillance.

Iran’s latest directive underscores the government’s determination to exert greater control over the internet and promote domestic alternatives to foreign platforms.