The Impact of Internet Censorship on Women and Girls in Iran
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The Impact of Internet Censorship on Women and Girls in Iran
LAP-progressive-Feb 12th2025
Elahe Amani
Iran’s internet filtering policies have been a subject of interest, especially after the country lifted its ban on WhatsApp and Google Play in December. The Islamic Republic of Iran’s (IRI) restrictions on access to certain websites, platforms, and social media have been well-documented. These restrictions are part of a broader pattern of internet control, which has been shaped by significant social uprisings in the country.
The IRI’s internet policies can be divided into three eras, each emerging in response to major social unrest. For instance, the first era began after the contested presidential election in 2009. Since then, the government has continued to refine its digital oversight and control strategies.
These restrictions have had a disproportionate impact on women and girls in Iran. The government’s efforts to control online expression and assembly have been particularly damaging for women, who are already subject to discriminatory laws and social norms
Iran is not the only country imposing restrictions, other governments worldwide also imposing varying degrees of censorship on online content.
While countries like China, North Korea, and Iran have stringent internet control systems, others, such as Iraq, Myanmar, Turkmenistan, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, also impose significant restrictions. These restrictions include blocking social media and censoring political and social content.
In the U.S., while no major social media platforms are currently banned, some have faced scrutiny, restrictions, and regulatory challenges. For instance, platforms like TikTok and WeChat have encountered significant legal and regulatory hurdles, primarily due to concerns surrounding national security, privacy, and content moderation.
The issue of respecting freedom of speech and public best interest from harmful information, disinformation, and misinformation underscores the delicate balance between protecting free speech and, in the US, the First Amendment, while preventing harm to the public. The extent to which the “anti-censorship” stance is exploited to promote misinformation necessitates a nuanced approach, one that weighs the importance of unfettered expression against the need to safeguard the public from potential harm.
In many European and North American countries, governments filter content deemed inappropriate, such as pornography, hate speech, and child exploitation. But the political agenda of the authoritarian states is to safeguard their power not to serve the best interest of people.
Internet shutdowns and stringent filtering and surveillance in cyberspace inherently compromise freedom of expression and privacy, constituting egregious violation of human rights. As such, any justification for these measures must be predicated on the protection of the best interests of the populace, as mandated by international human rights law and frameworks.
According to international human rights standards, press censorship and internet filtering contradict the principle of freedom of expression, as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Government policies should be grounded in human rights and principles, such as availability of information for all citizens, respect for privacy, and freedom of expression.
Effective policymaking regarding the preservation and safety of cyberspace and communication platforms requires collaboration between governments, civil society organizations, academia, and the private sector. This approach aims to protect the rights of marginalized groups concerning internet access while promoting innovation and diversity of ideas.
The case of Iran Today
The phenomenon of internet filtering in Iran has persisted for nearly two decades.
Iran has blocked or severely restricted internet access multiple times, often during periods of political unrest, protests, or other crises. These shutdowns are typically aimed at limiting communication among protesters and restricting the spread of information to the outside world. While the exact number is difficult to pinpoint due to varying scales and durations of shutdowns, these are the notable instances:
- 2019 Nationwide Protests (Fuel Price Hike) for almost a week (November 16–23, 2019). This was one of the most extensive internet blackouts in Iranian history, the government shut down nearly all internet services to suppress information about protests and violence.
- 2022 Mahsa/ Jina Amini Protests: Sporadic shutdowns over several weeks starting in September 2022. Following the death of Mahsa Amini, internet services, including access to Instagram and WhatsApp, were restricted to control protests and dissent.
- 2020 Ukrainian Plane Crash Protests: Temporary outages during protests in January 2020. Restrictions were imposed to manage protests after the downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752.
- 2018 Economic Protests: Regional blackouts. During anti-government protests, the internet was disrupted to limit coordination among activists.
- 2009 Green Movement Protests: Intermittent disruptions over weeks. Internet services were slowed down or blocked to hinder communication during protests following the disputed presidential election.
The Iranian government also uses different tactics, such as complete blackouts that are nationwide or regional. Throttling is another tactics that severely slows down internet speeds to make communication and access difficult. Blocking specific platforms where apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, and Twitter are often targeted. And lastly, targeted regional shutdowns: Cutting off access in protest hotspots while leaving other areas unaffected. These tactics and the duration have been closely monitored by terminal monitoring organizations such as NetBlocks, Access Now, and Amnesty International have documented numerous cases of internet restrictions in Iran.
These actions have severely disrupted online businesses, resulting in significant economic losses. The filtering policies have led to substantial financial losses for platforms like Instagram, which have lost millions of dollars in transactions, and has resulted in thousands of users losing their jobs. Moreover, estimates suggest that internet shutdowns have incurred a staggering cost of nearly $1.5 billion to the country’s economy over just four days.
As shown in the timing of the complete block of Internet, Internet censorship and filtering in Iran serve political purposes, with those in power restricting VPNs, social networks, and international websites while attempting to localize infrastructure. Sanctions have exacerbated these restrictions, limiting access to essential digital tools for internet users and commercial enterprises
The Impact of Internet Filtering Policies on Women and Girls
Authoritarian internet filtering policies have a profound impact on the lives of women and girls, significantly limiting their access to vital information, education, employment opportunities, women’s health issues, reproductive rights, and resources on gender-based violence. These restrictions hinder women’s ability to make informed decisions and access necessary support, thereby perpetuating gender-based inequalities.
The curtailment of access to online educational platforms, particularly those focused on women’s empowerment, gender studies, or resources designed to enhance the capabilities of women and girls, is a notable consequence of internet censorship. Furthermore, internet censorship is used to suppress women’s movements and restrict their websites and social media accounts, often isolating activists and limiting their ability to organize and raise awareness globally about their struggles.
Internet filtering also creates significant economic and professional barriers for women who rely on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Telegram to run their businesses. While women’s participation in online entrepreneurship is influenced by cultural, economic, and legal factors, these restrictions consistently reduce women’s economic participation and severely impact their ability to achieve financial independence.
Moreover, internet filtering increases women’s vulnerability to online harassment. When censorship prevents women from reporting or openly discussing online abuse, they become more susceptible to exploitation. This issue is particularly pronounced in Muslim-majority countries in South and West Asia, including Iran.
The limitations imposed by internet censorship and filtering also extend to women’s ability to connect with online communities and support networks, isolating them from other women facing similar challenges. Additionally, these restrictions reinforce traditional gender roles by limiting access to diverse perspectives and promoting biased information.
In Iran, the intersection of internet filtering policies and compulsory hijab laws has created a complex power struggle between the regime and the Iranian people, particularly women. Over the past 45 years, compulsory hijab laws have been a key vulnerability/an Achilles heel for the Iranian regime, while internet filtering policies have become an uncontrollable challenge. The regime’s attempts to enforce laws on chastity and hijab amid broader economic, political, social, and environmental crises have been met with resistance, with some within the regime and clergy prioritizing the preservation of the system.
As Parvaneh Salahshouri٫ an Iranian sociologist and member of the parliament between 2016 and 2020, notes, the regime has been willing to postpone enforcement of hijab laws “in exchange for concessions on lifting internet filters.” She is referring to the recent lifting of filtering in WhatsApp and the recent law on hijab and chastity. This ongoing struggle has been recorded in the annals of Iranian history, with the chastity and hijab law acting as a “broken key that opens no doors” for those in position of power in Iran.
Similarly, internet filtering is a policy that many businesses have circumvented, but the real harm caused by these prohibitions and filtering disproportionately affects women and marginalized groups across society.
Ultimately, the impact of internet filtering policies on women and girls in Iran highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of the complex power dynamics at play. As the Iranian people continue to navigate the challenges posed by internet filtering and compulsory hijab laws, it is essential to recognize the disproportionate harm caused by these policies and to advocate for policies that promote gender equality, freedom of expression, and access to information.
The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions or beliefs of the LA Progressive
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