Iran's Digital Caste System: A Looming Shadow Over Internet Access
Imagine waking up to a world where the internet, a portal of freedom and connection, becomes a tool of division and control. On July 15, 2025, Iran took a significant step backwards with its Supreme Council of Cyberspace approving a controversial policy. This policy, chaired by president Masoud Pezeshkian, has woven a digital caste system into the fabric of Iranian society. Rather than being a gateway to the global community, the internet has become a device for political allegiance and suppression.
Regime Loyalty: The Price for Unfiltered Access
This tiered internet system stands as a stark symbol of political control, rewarding regime loyalists and casting ordinary Iranians into a world of surveillance and censorship. The government’s rhetoric, claiming that access remains unchanged, is contradicted by statements from officials who suggest privileged connectivity is a necessity for some.
Unveiling the Hypocrisy
In an ironic twist, president Pezeshkian’s promise of universal free information starkly contrasts the plan’s reality—a system first tested during the November 2019 protests. As dissent finds no room to breathe, this regulation cloaks political motives under the guise of connectivity, stripping ordinary citizens of their digital independence.
Widening the Divide
Promoters of this system argue about economic facilitation, yet the heart of this initiative lies in deepening the divide. By concentrating influential access in the hands of the regime’s allies, Iran creates a market of corruption and privilege. Recent events, including a 12-day conflict where privileged users disseminated the regime’s narrative, underscore this system’s exploitative nature.
Resisting a Digital Clench
Iranian civil society is not silent. Warnings of potential social upheaval echo across platforms, as citizens recognize the danger of this digital apartheid. Meanwhile, the regime fights alternatives that breach its control. The crack-down on Starlink—a satellite offering global connectivity—illustrates Iran’s resolve to stamp out free communication.
The Regime’s Digital Fortress
The image is bleak. A government constructing a digital fortress, stripped of confidence, clinging to power through repression. The recent law criminalizing Starlink use is a stark revelation of desperation. It’s not a technocratic challenge but a narrative of survival, a regime closing doors to innovation, hoping to stave off the inevitable demand for freedom.
In the aftermath of these measures, a government should ask not how to control information but how to trust and empower its people. According to National Council of Resistance of Iran - NCRI, the echoes from Iran ring a warning bell for societies worldwide, challenging leaders to protect the sanctity and freedom of digital expression.
