Shahrzad News: As of last Sunday, “the halal net” – a regime-controlled, censored internet service intended to replace the world-wide-web – was introduced in Iran.
Mirroring the situation in China, it is now compulsory for government agencies and departments, internet cafés and private users to switch to the new scheme, which the regime calls ‘the national internet’.
Internet users who do not have their own personal home computers will in future only be able access the net through government-controlled platforms in the workplace. Universities and research centres will also have to use these platforms, which are loaded with powerful filtering software.
Every internet café in the country has received a letter from the government ordering it to register customers’ details and install CCTV cameras in its premises. They have been warned that those who use anti-filter programs will face prosecution.
For years the Iranian government has regarded the internet both as a powerful source of foreign influence and as a communications tool used by dissident groups. In consequence it has introduced its own censored ‘Islamic’ versions of Facebook, Yahoo and Google.
