Iran's Web Crackdown Shows Ease Of Government Internet Censorship

IRAN'S WEB CRACKDOWN SHOWS EASE OF GOVERNMENT INTERNET CENSORSHIP
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Christopher Rhoads christopher.rhoads@wsj.com]
Iran's campaign to shutter popular Web sites and curtail text-message traffic reflects the growing ability of governments to control online content inside their national borders. The crackdown is part of a broader offensive against what authorities consider immoral Western culture. It has targeted Web sites including Amazon.com, publicly edited online encyclopedia Wikipedia.com, movie Web site imdb.com and online video-sharing portal YouTube.com, among others. Some of these sites are working again, but the clampdown is consistent with a tightening of online content in Iran dating back two years. The blockage isn't airtight, as more-savvy Internet users in the country have access to software and other measures that allow them to get around government restrictions, Internet experts say. It is uncertain how long the restrictions will last. Iran is one of a host of nations that have taken steps to limit access to the Internet or control what users can see in cyberspace. Others that have taken such steps include China, Cuba and North Korea. Tehran's recent actions are noteworthy given the country's flourishing and relatively free Internet culture in recent years. Iran has an estimated 7.5 million users, up from 250,000 six years ago. A lively blogosphere emerged in recent years, as state control of the country's traditional print media increased.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116528658477840719.html?mod=todays_us_pa...
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