YouTube, Twitter, Instagram censoring content to suit Iran’s Islamic authorities
Now we know why Twitter flags as “hateful” the perfectly true statement that Islam is not a religion of peace.
“Western social media firms under fire as Iranians hint at dialogue over censorship,” by Bethan McKernan, Independent, August 30, 2017:
Several social media companies in the West have been criticised for a perceived lack of transparency in alleged talks with the Iranian authorities on censoring content to the approval of the country’s strict religious authorities.Instagram, currently available in the country – as well as Twitter and YouTube, which are blocked but widely visited by Iranians using proxy servers – have all been reported by local media in recent weeks as as co-operating with the authorities to aid them in blocking or censoring “immoral” content.Newly installed communications minister Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi has been clear that he intends to shake up the status quo, promising citizens easier access to the internet and app platforms.He has been quoted in several Iranian newspapers as claiming that the government is in fresh talks with social media companies to allow them to operate more freely within Iran as long as they adhere to the country’s strict “morality” rules.“[Twitter] has announced that it is prepared to negotiate to resolve problems,“ he told a daily newspaper last week, adding that officials had also reached out to YouTube representatives.In news reports earlier this month, outgoing communications minister Mahmoud Vaezi said that the Supreme Council of Cyberspace (SCC) had also begun talks with managers at photo-based service Instagram to block “immodest” pages from being viewed within the country….
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