Iran easing internet access by trading blockages for filtering

Iran appears to be planning to lift the blockade of several websites. Instead, ‘unwanted’ content will be filtered out. With this method of ‘smart filtering’, internet access in Iran seems to be somewhat relaxed.

The so-called smart filtering was announced by the Iranian government itself, reports Reuters news agency. The system censors certain unwelcome content from a particular website. For the time being, this is a pilot project in which one unnamed site will be filtered, but the intention is to roll it out to other websites in phases. The system should be fully ready by June next year.

Social networking sites seem to be the main target of smart filtering. Websites such as Twitter and Facebook have been blocked in Iran, mainly because users post content that the Iranian authorities consider to be unacceptable. According to Reuters news agency, the smart filtering system is currently being tested on Instagram: the Facebook subsidiary is accessible in Iran, but the authorities have already started filtering content.

Filtering content may give Iranians more options on the internet. Although the Iranian authorities did not say it in so many words, filtering seems to be intended to replace the blocking on certain websites. “By implementing smart filtering, we are trying to block criminal and unethical content from websites, while still allowing the public to use these sites,” said an Iranian official.