HE Iranian government restricts citizens’ access to Instagram and WhatsApp this Wednesday (21). Meta’s social networks are blocked trying to thwart massive protests in the country over the death of a young Iranian.
The information was released by NetBlocks, an organization that monitors shutdowns of online tools around the world. The website reported that internet signals started to be cut off in some parts of the country last week, while applications and mobile communication networks were shut down today.
“Users have also reported that internet connectivity has been cut off or severely slowed in many cities since the first outage was recorded on Friday, September 16, 2022. Network outages are likely to severely limit the public’s ability to express political discontent and communicate freely,” he said. NetBlocks
?? Confirmed: Messaging app #What’s up restricted in #Iranian amid widening protests over his death #MahsaAmini; metrics show WhatsApp servers are now down across multiple internet providers hours after Instagram was curtailed
?? Background: https://t.co/8cCHIJAADQ pic.twitter.com/JvzemCJ92s
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) September 21, 2022
The institution reminds that access to the software is not possible even with a VPN, as the government interrupts the internet. In addition to Instagram and WhatsApp, other popular social networks such as Twitter and Facebook have been banned in Iran for several years.
When it comes to mobile networks, the signals are mainly cut off from MCI, which is the main mobile operator in the country. This is a problem because most Iranians only use mobile networks and do not have broadband internet access.
NetBlocks says this is the biggest action to hack Iran’s network since November 2019, when the government began blocking the internet of the population protesting the lack of freedom and authoritarianism.
Reasons for the cut
The restriction on WhatsApp and Instagram came amid a widespread wave of anti-government protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian girl.
He died at the hands of police forces in the Iranian Kurdistan region. Agents accused Mahsa of using “inappropriate clothing” because she does not wear a headscarf, one of the Islamic types of headscarves.
Reminding the difficult economic situation of the country, the protests are predominantly carried out by women. Videos circulating on social media, for example, show Iranian women setting their headscarves on fire.
Source: Tec Mundo
