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Iran’s ICT ministry faced pressure to block social apps during elections

Politics Materials 26 February 2016 18:08 (UTC +04:00)
Iran’s Ministry of Information and Communications Technology faced pressures by some organizations to block social apps in the country during the parliamentary and the Assembly of Experts elections, said the ICT Minister Mahmoud Vaezi.
Iran’s ICT ministry faced pressure to block social apps during elections

Tehran, Iran, Feb. 26

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

Iran's Ministry of Information and Communications Technology faced pressures by some organizations to block social apps in the country during the parliamentary and the Assembly of Experts elections, said the ICT Minister Mahmoud Vaezi.

"But we did not give way," he said, Khabar Online news agency reported Feb. 26.

The minister also refused to relate a recent slow-down in internet connection to the elections.

During the presidential election in 2009, Iranians had no internet connection and even text messages service throughout a day.

Social networking apps are highly popular among Iranians.

At least 22 million Iranians use Telegram messaging app, one of the most recently-developed social apps with high number of users worldwide, which is as of yet free to access in Iran.

But many Iranians have to use proxies to access other popular sites such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and others, most of which were blocked following post-2009 election disturbances.

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