On Jan. 5, Metaâs WhatsApp announced it was launching a proxy server to help users bypass government internet shutdowns,
calling
the move a means of âputting the power into peopleâs hands.â The app is currently banned in several countries, including China, North Korea, Syria, Qatar, and, most recently, Iran.
WhatsAppâs update was partly in response to
severe internet crackdowns
in Iran following anti-government protests over Mahsa Aminiâs death in September. But Iran is no stranger to digital authoritarianism; the regime has long relied on this repressive tactic to crack down on protest mobilization efforts and stifle the free flow of information within and outside the country. WhatsAppâs new feature sets an important precedent for how Big Tech and U.S. policymakers can support the Iranian people in their fight for freedom.
Over the last four months of demonstrations in Iran, protesters have relied on the internet to help keep the movement
alive
; social media platforms are used to mobilize crowds on the streets,
document
violence by regime security forces, update families on the status of loved ones, and even make international
appeals
to save citizens in danger of execution. As with
previous
rounds of civil unrest, Iran has responded by ordering nationwide internet disruptions, shutting down mobile networks, and cutting access to social media platforms. Twitter and Facebook have been banned since 2009, but current protests have since led to restrictions on both WhatsApp and Instagram.
WhatsAppâs proxy server would enable protesters to send personal messages with end-to-end encryptions that make them inaccessible to external parties (even Meta itself!) keeping their connection securely out of the hands of the regime. And while WhatsAppâs update is a critical step for combatting regime censorship, itâs not enough. Big Tech players must advance their efforts to protect the Iranian peopleâs digital lifeline.
Other messaging appsâlike
Signal
, which unsuccessfully tried introducing proxies to Iranians in Septemberâshould integrate their proxy servers into its messenger; companies offering virtual private networks that help bypass internet crackdowns should
waive
their fees; major service providers, such as Google and Microsoft, should
reinstate
domain fronting practices, a technique that allows apps to disguise user traffic; and all social media platforms should ensure that their foreign-language content moderation teams are investing in services that accurately and fairly
protect
against disinformation. (Opponents of data obfuscation tools fear its abuse by malignant actors, and some tech companies have
responded
by implementing enhanced security measures.)
And while the Biden administrationâs response to the protest movement has been mediocre at best, itâs important to give credit where itâs due. In September, the U.S. Department of Treasury
amended
sanctions guidance that significantly cut off the Iranian peopleâs access to Western platforms and circumvention software. The effects of these sanctions were particularly harmful during internet shutdowns that limited peopleâs online connectivity options to state-controlled services. With these changes, however, tech companies have no excuse for not securing the free flow of information in Iran.
What the regime fears most is its own people revealing the truth about the human rights violations taking place inside Iran. And with limited on-the-ground coverage, it is all the more vital that tech companies and policymakers work together to protect the Iranian peopleâs ability to make their voices heard. As the old adage goes, information is powerâand we must use our own power to keep it in the right hands.
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This article originally appeared in the AEIdeas blog and is reprinted with kind permission from the American Enterprise Institute.
