Iran eases digital tyranny by allowing WhatsApp and Google Play
Iran has said it will begin easing some of the country's toughest internet restrictions, including lifting bans on WhatsApp and Google Play.
Iran has said it will begin easing some of the country's toughest internet restrictions, including lifting bans on WhatsApp and Google Play.
According to Bloomberg, this is a sign that the authorities want to appease domestic opponents, as the Islamic republic is currently facing serious economic and foreign policy challenges.
Earlier, Iran's Supreme Cyberspace Council decided to lift the block on "some widely used foreign platforms," with WhatsApp and Google Play becoming the first two such platforms.
Recall that after the 2009 protests against the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, social media, including Facebook, X, and YouTube, were banned or restricted by the authorities, who accused them of facilitating the protests and inciting opposition to the state.
"The process of lifting restrictions in cyberspace will be multi-stage and continuous, and it will not be limited to lifting restrictions on one or a few platforms," explained the relevant Iranian state body that regulates cybersecurity issues.
Freedom House stated that Iran was among the three least free countries in the world in terms of Internet access, after China and Myanmar.
In turn, as dev.ua wrote, Pakistan's Chief Advisory Body on Religious Affairs announced that the use of virtual private networks to access blocked content on the Internet, i.e. VPN services, contradicts Sharia and Islamic law.
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