Western Media Discovers Internet Shutdowns are Bad, But Only in Iran
Iranian authorities, according to Al-Monitor, are 'gradually' restoring internet access following a communications blackout linked to protests. The article notes that rights groups allege thousands dead, spurred by unnamed 'economic hardship' and characterized by the media as the 'biggest challenge' to Iran's leadership in years. Meanwhile, Western media fails to mention that 'unprecedented'
crackdowns and internet blackouts are oft-deployed tactics by governments seeking to quell unrest, including those considered allies. One might wonder at the sudden concern for internet freedom when similar shutdowns, like those during unrest in Egypt or by authorities in Kashmir, receive a far more muted, if any, condemnation. Funny how a regime-change target's heavy-handed tactics are
'unprecedented' human rights abuses, while an ally's are merely 'security measures.' This selective outrage appears less about freedom and more about strategic narratives to manufacture consent for foreign intervention. After all, wasn't there a time when the CIA actively worked to subvert Iranian democracy?