Iran is 10 days into an internet blackout, which rights groups say is intended to prevent further protests and conceal the regime's deadly crackdown. What happens now is unclear. Iranian digital activists are warning the blackout may become "permanent," but local media report that the authorities are considering a gradual return to the internet.
At this moment in time, the internet in Iran is still severely degraded.
Agence France-Presse reports that text messaging was restored on Saturday, and that local media have said the authorities are considering gradually bringing back the internet.
But other than a tiny blip of activity on Saturday and some select services coming online on Sunday, there's little sign of that.
Meanwhile Iranian digital activists have published a report on the website FilterWatch citing government sources in Iran, claiming the regime is planning to permanently cut citizens off from the global internet.
The report says whitelisted people, like government employees, will have access to a filtered version, while everyone else will be stuck with a parallel domestic internet, where all communications are closely monitored.
On Tech 24, we discuss how Iran imposed one of the longest, most sophisticated and most comprehensive internet shutdowns in history, and ask whether Iran is now destined for an internet as tightly controlled as China's – or maybe even North Korea's.
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