Pros and Cons of Internet Censorship in Iran

Cons: If you don't have a "filter shikan" program to get through Iranian censorship online, your online content is very limited, you can't even read most news websites, although smaller newspaper websites like Washington Post and LA Times are available, NY Times, BBC and the famous news websites are all banned. Being here, especially before I got my "filter shikan" program, really made me realize how lucky we are in the US, even in Egypt, where, of course, you can open any website you like, how could you not?

But here in Iran, censorship is real, seemingly harmless websites are blocked, I don't know what algorithm or method the government uses to block websites, but it is exceedingly strict and blocks most websites I want to visit.

Here is an example of what comes up when I try to visit the BBC, the oh so dangerous news website:



It basically says, In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate, according to the law of computer crimes, you are not allowed to visit this website.

It thens gives a list of websites that are permissible to visit, under subjects such as culture and religion, news, family, etc., presumably websites in Persian that are under the supervision of the government.

Pro: I have been weaned off my Facebook addiction, after one month in Iran I managed to get a program so I can access most websites that are usually blocked on the regular Internet connection in Iran - so I can read BBC, NY Times and articles online that have keywords like Sufi, women, Egypt (touregypt.net), girl (girl solo in Arabic), bikini (as in articles that talk about the niqab and bikini) and other dangerous content that are censored by the government. But the program doesn't allow me to use Facebook, so I have been Facebook-free for 1.5 months, apart from the two times I got on when I went to a net cafe.