Iran is known for having one of the world's most restrictive internet censorship systems.[1][2][3][4] The Iranian government and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have blocked access to 70 percent of the internet,[5] many popular websites and online services, including YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Telegram.[6][7] Internet traffic in the country is heavily restricted and monitored.[8] Internet Filtering Committee (Iran) headed by Prosecutor-General of Iran decides which websites must be censored and implements this vast censorship.
In response to the 2019 Iranian protests, the government implemented a near-total Internet shutdown, reducing traffic to just 5% of normal levels.[2][9][10] A 2022 poll ranked Iran as the country with the second highest level of Internet censorship after it repeatedly disrupted Internet access and blocked social media platforms to curb protests following the death of Mahsa Amini.[11] The government is now targeting Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in an effort to completely block citizens' access to foreign media and online content.[12]
In November 2024 Iranian regime was reportedly talking about removing internet restrictions possibly with reduced speed and higher tariffs cost.[13][14]
Persian language has been almost wiped out from the web because of the censorship.[15][16][17]