Episode #59: Iranian Government Blocks Internet Access As Protests Continue

As thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, Iranian officials have repeatedly shut down internet services and disrupted social media sites including Instagram, Telegram and WhatsApp. The country’s Virtual Private Networks or VPN’s are also getting shut down.

To quell dissent, the Iranian government has also been developing its own local internet services to replace international online sites. The protests, which erupted in mid-September, have centered around the killing of Amini, after she was arrested by morality police for improperly wearing a hijab. The rallies have been led primarily by young women who refuse to accept the Islamic Republic’s restrictive laws and have sparked demonstrations throughout the globe.

With us to talk about the issue is Benjamin Radd, Associate Professor of Politics at Pomona College. He spoke to Digital Village co-host, Leilani Albano.