Last week, Iran’s government attempted a near-total internet shutdown, cutting off access to banking, messaging, and even basic communication. The move was designed to quell growing protests by stifling the flow of information. However, a decentralized network of activists, engineers, and developers circumvented the blackout using thousands of smuggled Starlink satellite internet terminals.
The Bypassing of Restrictions
Activists were able to push images of violence and civilian casualties online despite the government’s efforts. This forced the Iranian regime to deploy military-grade electronic warfare technology – typically reserved for conflict zones like Ukraine – to disrupt the GPS signals Starlink requires. The use of such aggressive tactics demonstrates the lengths Iran is willing to go to control information.
The Role of Starlink and U.S. Policy
The success wasn’t accidental. Since 2022, activists have been systematically importing Starlink terminals into Iran, aided by a U.S. government sanctions exemption that allows American companies to provide communication tools to Iranians. Estimates suggest around 50,000 terminals now operate within Iran, openly defying a recently passed law banning the systems. Fereidoon Bashar, executive director of digital rights group ASL19, emphasized this was the result of “years of planning and work among different groups.”
A Growing Trend: The Limits of Digital Blackouts
Iran’s case highlights a broader trend: national digital blackouts are becoming increasingly difficult to enforce. Governments in countries like India, Myanmar, and Uganda have long used internet disruptions to suppress dissent. But the spread of technologies like satellite internet is creating an escalating arms race between authorities and those seeking to bypass restrictions.
The Iranian government’s aggressive response, and the activists’ resilience, underscores a fundamental shift: information control is no longer absolute. Technology is empowering individuals to resist censorship, even in the face of extreme state intervention.
The cat-and-mouse hunt between governments and tech-savvy activists will likely intensify as digital blackouts remain a tool of repression in many parts of the world.
