Ministry of Communications Pursues AI-Based Solution Amid Programmer Opposition to Internet Restrictions

According to IDEA, While programmers in the country had previously voiced their opposition to continued internet restrictions and considered the launch of the online403 service as a futile attempt to improve internet access for professional users in the virtual space, the Ministry of Communications, by continuing to disregard the demands of this group, is now working on implementing an AI-based system with the aim of automatically and instantly adding sanctioned websites to this service. This was recently announced by Amir Lajevardi, the head of the Organization for Regulation of Radio and Communications, who now also serves as the deputy of Issa Zarepour in the communications affairs of the ministry.

Deputy Minister of Communications Addresses User Concerns About Website Access

In response to a user’s request on a social media platform regarding changes in the policy of adding new websites to the existing list of sanctioned websites in the online403 system, Amir Lajevardi, the head of the Organization for Regulation of Radio and Communications and the deputy of Issa Zarepour in the Ministry of Communications, has made statements. The user expressed concern about the lack of support for many websites in the system and the excessively long response time from the development team. The user mentioned, ‘For example, I reported the website urbandictionary.com a week ago, but it still hasn’t received any support.’ It appears that the Ministry of Communications intends to employ a creative solution to address this user’s issue.

Programmers Criticize Tiered Internet Strategy as Ineffective

Although the Deputy Minister of Communications responded immediately to this user’s request on the domestic social network and promised to implement AI-based solutions, he aims to demonstrate that the concerns of professionals in this field are important to the Ministry of Communications. However, it’s evident that criticisms from another group of professionals in this field have been largely ignored regarding the strategy implemented for the development of a tiered internet. Since the initial launch of this system in February of last year, many programmers and web developers have explicitly criticized the establishment of a system for a specific group and the creation of a tiered internet, considering it an ineffective endeavor and likening it to ‘beating the air.’

VPN Accessibility Despite Internet Restrictions Raises Concerns

According to what the Ministry of Communications announced during the introduction of this system, its goal was to enable access to websites that have been blocked for Iranian users due to foreign sanctions. However, programmers emphasize that, in practice, VPNs are widely available to most people due to extensive internet restrictions imposed by policymakers in the country. They believe that if the Ministry of Communications is genuinely concerned about improving working conditions and the lives of programmers, it would be better to focus on reducing domestic internet restrictions and improving communication quality.

Experts Question Ministry’s Understanding of AI-Based Solutions

As network experts argue, the Ministry of Communications’ efforts to block VPNs have severely affected internet speed and quality even when using domestic platforms. Vahid Farid, an IT professional, states, ‘As a programmer, I have never used or will use Fava’s services. Someone who has blocked internet access for the people should not pretend to be a savior providing access to sanctioned websites.’ Farid emphasizes, ‘Statements like ‘we want to use artificial intelligence for this purpose’ indicate that these individuals neither understand what they are supposed to do nor intend to take any specific action in this regard.

Programmers Assert the Redundancy of Online403 Service

Earlier, many professionals in this field explicitly argued that this service is so basic and unnecessary that any programmer can create it, and in practice, with the availability of VPNs, there is no need for it. According to the statements of professionals in this field, even this service can be considered a copy of the ‘Shekan’ service, which has been available for some time and is nothing more than a legal VPN for a specific group. The explicit request of professionals in this field is that the Ministry of Communications should focus its efforts on lifting the extensive censorship imposed on the country’s virtual space, rather than attempting to establish such simple services. They believe that projects like this are nothing more than a waste of government funds.