The social networks Telegram and Instagram is no more functioning in Iran. The restrictions to access these apps were imposed to ‘maintain tranquillity’. Iranian leader Rouhani has said that people have a right to protest, but causing disorder will not be tolerated.
Telegram as the major platform for information in Iran counts more than 40 million users among the country’s 80 million people. Iranians used to use this social net, which definitely plays an especially key role in this week’s anti-government protests against Ayatollah Khamenei. Counter-rallies supporting the government also emerged on Saturday.
Last weekend, the Iranian telecommunications minister Azari Jahromi expressed his point of view on Twitter to Mr Durov, Telegram founder and CEO:
‘A Telegram channel is encouraging hateful conduct, use of Molotov cocktails, armed uprising, and social unrest. NOW is the time to stop such encouragements via Telegram.’
Durov had confirmed the problem that very day and announced that Telegram would suspend the channel in Iran. So far, Facebook and Twitter have similarly had to determine what types of political speech are permissible on their platforms and what violates their rules.
“Meanwhile, promoting violence and calling for actions that can harm innocent people are not OK. This is a rule of thumb we’re always applying when moderating public channels,”
Durov said.
