has solidified into a lasting system of digital repression, with the regime viewing citizens’ access to the outside world as an “existential threat,” according to digital rights monitors.
An internet monitoring group reported Monday that Iran’s connectivity landscape had changed dramatically as the country entered its 22nd day of unrest, following several days of a near-total nationwide internet shutdown.
“On the 22nd day, after several days of an almost complete internet shutdown, reports emerged of limited and unstable internet connectivity in some parts of the country,” NetBlocks stated.
“Indications suggest we’re seeing a shift toward a type of ‘filternet plus’ censorship scheme in Iran,” NetBlocks CEO Alp Toker told Digital, noting “a rapid descent into a darker form of digital darkness.”
“The key difference from the pre-protest filternet setup is that, while internet platforms were heavily censored before, the regime is selectively whitelisting only a small number of services it deems critical for business needs.
“Even this limited access is inconsistent, meaning the censorship is likely still in the test phase,” he added. “In practice, though, ordinary users remain offline.”
Toker described how the digital darkness “is in fact growing darker because information controls are tightening.”
“Where international links were once tolerated as a window for trade, the regime now treats each of these as potential threats,” he said, adding that the regime “sees its own citizens’ ability to communicate with the rest of the world as an existential threat because the public is disaffected.”
According to the (HRANA), at least 2,571 people had been killed as of Monday, with additional deaths reported but not yet fully verified amid the communications blackout.
The internet blackout began Jan. 8 amid escalating demonstrations since Dec. 28, as authorities sought to prevent protesters from organizing, sharing videos of crackdowns and communicating with the outside world.
Since then, connectivity has remained erratic, with frequent outages and throttling even when partial access is restored.
reported the blackout was expected to last until at least late March, with IranWire saying government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani told media activists that access to international online services would not be restored before Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, on March 20.
“Having internet access was always a window to the outside and a lifeline for many Iranians,” Toker added. “It allowed for that is banned by the regime.”
“These online freedoms can be as simple as online gaming, watching foreign movies or women’s ability to participate equally in spaces that would otherwise be barred by the Islamic Republic,” he added.
“With the internet blackout continuing, that window has been closed,” Toker said. “This is angering many Iranians, particularly Gen Z, who stand to lose a part of their identity.”
The blackout has also coincided with state infrastructure.
As previously reported by Digital, anti-regime activists , briefly interrupting state television to air protest messages and calls from Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah and a prominent opposition figure.
“We aren’t able to see the specific hack here,” Toker explained. “The lack of up-to-date security is an issue for Iran.”
“It is directly caused by the country’s digital isolation,” he said. “Iran’s internet systems are outdated, and security tools aren’t available due to internet restrictions.”
Toker added that embargoes force widespread use of pirated software, which often contains hidden vulnerabilities that can be exploited to
He said cyber warfare played a major role during the June 2025 clashes prompting the blackout as a defensive measure against digital attacks. Israel, he noted, also restricted parts of its own network at the time.
“In 2026, we haven’t seen the same focus on cyber incidents, but it’s clear there’s an ongoing battle between state actors as well as individual hackers,” Toker said.