Importance of the Internet for Opposition Groups in Iran

Like many modern political opposition groups, Iranian protesters make extensive use of social networks and other Internet services to plan and coordinate protest activity:

"The opposition, which relies on the Web and cell phone service to organize rallies and get its message out, has vowed to hold rallies Monday, the first anti-government show of force in a month."

Likewise, governments may target these communications as a means to limit protests. Reports are alleging the Iranian Government is restricting Internet and mobile phone services to limit opposition communications prior to planned protests:

"Internet connections in the capital, Tehran, have been slow or completely down since Saturday. Blocking Internet access and cell phone 'service has been one of the routine methods employed by the authorities to undermine the opposition in recent months.

"The government has not publicly acknowledged it is behind the outages, but Iran's Internet service providers say the problem is not on their end and is not a technical glitch. A day or two after the demonstrations, cell phone and Internet service is restored."

Iran slows Internet access before student protests