Internet Blackout: Iran’s Digital Weapon for Total Communication Shutdown
On the night of January 8, Iran implemented a total internet blackout, disconnecting approximately 85 million people from the outside world. This drastic measure was aimed at curbing social protests that had erupted in December due to monetary collapse and high inflation. The blackout was almost absolute, with NetBlocks reporting a 99% service cut the following morning, affecting not only web access but also landline and mobile phone lines.
Iran’s Efforts to Block GPS Signals and Starlink
A notable aspect of this blackout was the Iranian government’s efforts to block GPS signals and disrupt access to Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite constellation. This action is significant as Starlink had previously served as an escape route during protests.
Precedents and International Context
Iran is not an isolated case. This is the third major blackout in the country, with previous instances occurring in November 2019 during protests over gasoline price hikes, which resulted in over 300 deaths, and in 2022 following the police custody death of Mahsa Amini. Amnesty International has described the communication cut as a tool that “hides violations in a growing and deadly crackdown on protesters.”
Technical Execution of an Internet Blackout
The ease of cutting off the internet lies in the centralization of infrastructure. The fewer providers and fiber optic cables there are, the simpler it becomes. The primary technical method is based on controlling the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), essentially the network’s routing system. Governments with centralized infrastructure, like Iran, can order providers to:
– Stop announcing their BGP routes, making the country’s network “disappear” from the global internet map and preventing data transmission.
– Implement Null Routing, instructing routers to discard traffic directed to certain destinations (e.g., the global internet).
– In extreme cases, turn off equipment, cut cables, or deactivate antennas.
Escape Routes and the Battle Against Starlink
Traditionally, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have been the main tool for circumventing censorship. However, providers like Proton VPN reported a significant drop in traffic from Iran, suggesting a complete shutdown of the access infrastructure.
Starlink represents the “new frontier,” although only between 40,000 and 50,000 Iranians would have access. Regimes are responding with methods like jamming, a sophisticated military technique possibly supplied by Russia or China, which disrupts the signal of GPS satellites. In Iran, this method resulted in an estimated loss of up to 80% of data packets in some areas.
Global Trend of Internet Blackouts
2024 was a record year, with 296 documented cuts in 54 countries, according to NGO Access Now. The major censors were Myanmar (85 cuts), India (84), and Pakistan (21), with India leading the ranking for seven consecutive years. Africa had its worst year with 21 blackouts in 15 countries. The main causes were internal conflicts and external wars (103 cuts), followed by protests and elections (12 blackouts related to elections). Interestingly, seven countries cut the internet 16 times to prevent cheating in school exams.
Consequences and Legality
Rebecca White of Amnesty International emphasized that the cuts “plunge people into digital darkness,” preventing them from receiving or sharing information with the outside world. According to international human rights law, total cuts are disproportionate and should never be imposed, even in emergencies. Despite this, legal or diplomatic consequences are minimal for governments that implement them.
However, there is a precedent for successful resistance: in Nigeria, civil society litigated and the courts forced the Executive to lift the ban, declaring the cut illegal and unnecessary.
