Iran's Internet Blackouts Are Part of a Global Menace

The Iranian security forces killed more than 300 people during a five-day protest under the cover of an internet blockade. State violence peaked during periods in which the internet had been knocked offline. Many have paid the ultimate price and demanded respect for their rights.

The internet's structure is being used to build censorship. The shape of the internet within Iran makes it possible to silence its citizens on the internet. Only three of the 750 networks that make up the Iranian internet are able to connect to the wider web outside of the country. Internet disruptions have become more common as they have become more sophisticated. The rough equivalent of ripping a plug out of the wall is when repressive regimes block access to certain services. Cuba has blocked access to the internet for specific individuals in the past.

It's not a good idea to view internet shutdowns as isolated incidents. Access to both technical know-how and sophisticated physical equipment that is traded worldwide is required for the implementation of restrictions on the web. There is a global game of cat and mouse going on. Russia has learned quickly that it can leverage its infrastructure to control its internet. Ukrainians have seen walls like those surrounding the Iranian web go up as Russia has re-routed internet traffic from countries that have been seized by the Russians. These changes have given Russia control over not only the physical territory but also the information environment of occupied Ukraine, which has led to the same system of strict censorship and surveillement that prevails throughout Russia.

Drawing inspiration from countries where the internet is most tightly controlled, Russia and Iran have further committed to building national intranets, which would work even if access to the global web were cut.

There is hope, though. The Declaration for the Future of the Internet was signed by the US, the European Union, and 60 other countries. Government-imposed internet shutdowns or degrading domestic internet access are not included in the declaration. An alliance could be formed by the people who signed the declaration. In the election for secretary general of the International Telecommunications Union, the result was a rebuke to an alternative vision of the internet, one built from the ground up on censorship, surveillance, and social control.

The threat to free access to information and the enjoyment of human rights is a global problem. It will require a global movement to counter it. Efforts to share learnings, tactics, tools, and technologies have proven effective in furthering our understanding of repressive online tactics. The Shadowsocks protocol is being used to provide access to the open internet in Iran, Russia, and around the world, both directly and through vital civil society groups. The Milk Tea Alliance has united protesters demanding democracy and respect for human rights from one country to another. These connections must be supported, sustained, and deepened in order to achieve meaningful change.

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