Iran has been largely cut off from the internet for almost 360 hours, according to internet regulator NetBlocks - but one expert says the shutdown is not affecting everyone in the country equally.
“Iran's internet shutdown has entered its 16th day as the measure continues into its third week“, NetBlocks reported in X this morning.
Some “select influencers“ continue to have access despite state restrictions on most users, the regulator said.
Doug Madori, who studies internet outages, told CNN that “the whitelisting system appears to allow limited access for select users while blocking the broader population“.
Iranian authorities said on Friday they had arrested a 37-year-old man for offering unlimited internet access via a Starlink device in Fars province, according to state media ISNA. Starlink, Elon Musk's company that offers internet via a constellation of satellites, has provided one way for Iranians to talk to the outside world.
While the Iranian regime's crackdown is largely responsible for the huge drop in internet traffic, Madori suggests that US-Israeli strikes could also cause disruptions, potentially leading to “damage to shared infrastructure, such as fiber optic outages or power outages“.