World Now: Iranian Internet access disrupted, raising fears of censorship

Los Angeles Times / LATimes.com ^ | February 20, 2012 | 2:01 pm | -- Ramin Mostaghim in Tehran and Emily Alpert in Los Angeles

[thecodont]

REPORTING FROM TEHRAN AND LOS ANGELES -- Internet access was disrupted in Iran on Monday, raising fears that the state might be stepping up censorship ahead of national elections next week.

[…]

The Tor network, which helps people connect anonymously to the Internet, reported that its Iranian traffic plunged two weeks ago when problems with “https” websites were reported earlier, dropping from 50,000 users to nearly zero. The numbers later rebounded as Iranians found ways to work around it.

Internet usage has boomed in Iran over the last decade, growing from less than 1% to 13% of Iranians, according to the most recent estimates from the United Nations agency for information technology.

Government officials say they plan to create a national system that would be “pure,” which activists fear will curtail Iranians from using the global Web.

[PGR88]

Censorship in Iran? Say it ain’t so!

[odds]

Nothing new... The regime periodically disrupts internet access to users in Iran, often for no apparent reason. Why? Guess they just want to keep the Iranians in suspense. Oh.. and to constantly remind them that their Islamic, Khomeinist regime comprises of a whole lotta of A’holes!

[odds]

Nothing new... The regime periodically disrupts internet access to users in Iran, often for no apparent reason. Why? Guess they just want to keep the Iranians in suspense. Oh.. and to constantly remind them that their Islamic, Khomeinist regime comprises of a whole lotta A’holes!