Iran’s longest internet blackout reveals an info-war over truth and reach

After protests in January, Iran shut down the internet—the longest blackout in the country’s history—in an effort to stop mobilization, a move that slowed information flow but did not quell the uprising. Connectivity has returned in fits and starts, with Starlink terminals providing a rare window into events, while experts note the regime’s use of censorship, coercion, and AI-driven disinformation. The piece also discusses how activists rely on VPNs and satellite access to document abuses and how satellite-to-cell tech could reimagine connectivity beyond state-controlled networks.