Iran Pushes for Regime, Military Control of Internet After Year of Unrest – By David Brennan (Newsweek) / Aug 27 2020
Agroup of Iranian lawmakers is pushing to hand control of the country’s internet over to a committee composed of powerful elements of the regime, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Forty members of the Iranian parliament had signed the motion as of Monday, according to Radio Farda. The proposal—titled “Organizing Social Media Messaging,” would also ban foreign messaging apps and replace them with domestically-produced ones, which may hand the regime closer surveillance capabilities.
The legislation would also introduce new penalties for anyone offering foreign messaging apps or ways around the restrictions, for example VPNs. Those violating the new proposal will face a “six degree” imprisonment or fine, meaning anywhere from six months to two years in prison, and a fine of between $475 and $1,900.
A “domestic messaging app” will mean more than 50 percent of the program’s shares must be held by an Iranian citizen, it must be hosted in Iran, and its operations must abide by the country’s laws.
Continue to article: https://www.newsweek.com/iran-military-internet-social-media-1527967
