Amid its ongoing conflict with Israel, the internet shutdown in Iran continues for over 60 hours now. The shutdown, announced by Iranian authorities on Wednesday, is affecting the Iranian public's ability to express political viewpoints, and follow safety alerts amid Israeli airstrikes. Access to WhatsApp, Instagram, Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, had been blocked in the country.
Despite the internet shutdown, some users maintained connectivity through virtual private networks.
The graph shared by an internet-access advocacy group shows that internet restrictions started in the country somewhere around June 16, with a nearly complete blackout from mid-Wednesday, June 18.
The shutdown is not just affecting Iranians in terms of voicing their political opinions, but is also restricting them from communicating with their loved ones in times of distress.
Before its strikes, Israeli forces are issuing alerts through their Persian-language online channels in Iran, but civilians are still left unaware due to the internet shutdown.
Activists are looking at the move as psychological warfare, calling it an attempt by Iran to control the narrative.
“We know why the Iranian regime shuts down. It wants to control information. So their goal is quite clear," Marwa Fatafta, the policy and advocacy director for digital rights group Access Now, was quoted by news agency AP.
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