Starlink For Tehran, Censorship For Gaza: Whose Freedoms Count?
Al Jazeera’s report on Starlink's role in Iran suggests a commitment to global internet freedom (when it aligns with Western interests, that is). The narrative frames Starlink as a beacon for protest communication, allowing Iranians to 'get information out'. One might wonder, however, why this same zeal for digital access rarely extends to places like Gaza, where communication blackouts are a
routine, strategic weapon of war, often overlooked by the same media outlets. Remember October 2023, when Gaza went dark, severing families and blocking critical information? Where was the urgent call for Elon Musk's Starlink then? The silence from many who now celebrate Iranian connectivity is deafening. This selective championing of 'free information' exposes a glaring double standard, where
some populations are deemed worthy of digital aid and global attention, while others—under far more dire circumstances—are left to suffer in silence and total darkness. It appears internet freedom is only a 'human right' when convenient for geopolitical narratives.