Iran to Ban Instagram over Security Concerns

The relevant authorities in Iran have decided to ban Instagram in the country. Instagram is the only major social media app still available in Iran for free, but not for long. The authorities have decided to extend their crackdown on social media to Instagram.

The semi-official Donya-e Eqtesad newspaper cited the deputy for cyberspace affairs at the public prosecutor’s office Javad Javidnia as saying that like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Telegram, Instagram will also be blocked in Iran. The reason it is being blocked is due to security issues. The steps to ban Instagram were approved by the National Cyberspace Council.

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Even though the government has restricted these apps, Iranian still use them through proxy servers. This does not just include the general public but also big names like Ali Khamenei the Supreme Leader, Hassan Rouhani the President, and Mohammad Javad Zarif the Foreign Minister. The verified account of Hassan Rouhani has over 800,000 followers.

According to Javidnia efforts were made to filter Instagram but did not work. He said that even though a consensus was needed by the judicial and political officials, the prosecutor can also take a unilateral decision in this regard.