Iran blackout shows signs of tiered access, NetBlocks says

Iran’s nationwide internet blackout has passed 280 hours, with traffic data now pointing to an emerging strategy of “whitelisting,” in which authorities appear to be allowing limited access to select platforms while keeping most services blocked, internet monitoring group NetBlocks said on Tuesday.

“Meanwhile, traffic on select platforms points to an emergent strategy of whitelisting,” NetBlocks wrote on X.

The blackout has left much of the country’s population of more than 90 million cut off from global communications, with families unable to check in on loved ones and news outlets struggling to report from inside Iran.

Selective access has precedent in Iran. In recent months, officials and security-linked bodies have been widely reported to use so-called “white SIM cards” – special mobile lines exempt from state filtering that allow unrestricted access to platforms blocked for most users, including Instagram, Telegram and WhatsApp.

Last year, the rollout of a location feature on X fueled public anger after it appeared to show some officials and pro-government figures connecting from inside Iran without filters, prompting accusations of unequal access.