Earlier this week, there was a flutter on the Internet in Iran as restrictions on Twitter and Facebook were lifted and a number of websites — including EA WorldView — were unblocked.
The blocks on Twitter and Facebook were soon re-imposed, with a hard-line official claiming that the temporary access was only a “technical glitch”.
So what did happen — and might happen soon?
1. “What the experience of 2009 showed, amid protests after the 2009 election, is that social media is important.”
“And so did the 2013 Presidential election — political figures realized that, in the 21st century, social media cannot be cut off. Rather, it is an essential form of communication.”
2. “The backdrop to this story is a political fight between President Rouhani and other factions, such as the Revolutionary Guards.
“You can’t use social media in this fight if people can’t access the accounts.”
3. It’s nice to talk about Internet freedom and Twitter Revolution, but at the end of the day, the key issue is about political authority.”