TEHRAN: Erdogan Yousefi is so used to living under Iran’s heavy internet restrictions that the recent decision to unban his messaging service WhatsApp has gone largely unnoticed.
“Oh wow, is it really removed now?” Yousefi, a cafe owner in the capital Tehran, said of the two-year ban on the popular application.
Sure enough, he turned off his virtual private network (VPN) encryption service, which allows users to mask their locations and bypass firewalls, and sent a message.
But while WhatsApp and Google Play services have been reinstated in a ruling by Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace, many other platforms remain banned. “It hasn’t changed much, because I still need VPNs for Instagram, Telegram and other platforms,” said Yousefi, 31. The decision by the Cyber Council comes as Iranians grapple with inflation, a falling currency, years of international sanctions and, more recently, rising tensions with a regional rival.
In recent weeks, daily life has been disrupted by widespread shutdowns of banks, government offices and schools due to power shortages caused by the cold wave. With the arrival of winter, air pollution has also increased.
Aamir Rashidi, director of digital rights and security at the US-based advocacy platform Mian Group, said the purpose of lifting the ban on WhatsApp was to “create minimal public satisfaction” in the face of these concerns. Rashidi said WhatsApp is “less popular in Iran” than other messaging apps such as Instagram and Telegram, which remain blocked.