Tightening the net: The internet in the time of currency crisis

ARTICLE 19 published a report on the recent Internet policy developments in Iran which sheds light on major political and economic events that influenced policy decisions vis-à-vis online freedoms and Internet access. While the government is promoting crypto currencies and transparency initiatives to countervail the crumbling economy, it is advocating local messenger apps and blocking crypto exchanges. The report further provides an assessment of the leading messaging platforms in Iran based on the numbers of users, affiliations, and implications for Internet freedom. It also analyses the new laws on censorship, data, and privacy that were introduced in 2017 and 2018.