AP Discovers Iran Has Internet Filters, No Mention of Blocked Gaza News
AP reports from Dubai about Iranians getting limited internet back after a protest crackdown, highlighting heavy security and restricted access to 'government-approved websites locally but nothing abroad.' While critical of Tehran's clampdown (and rightly so), the piece conveniently omits the systematic blocking of information about Gaza across U.S. social media platforms, or the widespread
internet blackouts imposed by Israel during its ongoing military operations, which have been far more complete and devastating. (One might wonder if 'government-approved' here is somehow worse than 'algorithm-approved' by tech giants under pressure.) This selective media focus, prioritizing dissent in 'enemy' states while normalizing digital suppression by U.S. allies, reveals a familiar
hypocrisy. It's a classic case of presenting one nation's control as tyranny while ignoring another's as a mere side effect of 'security operations.' The 'activists said at least 646 people have been killed' in Iran as of 2026, a crucial detail. Meanwhile, the daily civilian casualty count in Gaza from early 2024, often in the hundreds, frequently goes without prominent, dedicated AP headlines
focusing solely on the communication blackouts that shroud these events.