How Iranians are communicating through internet blackout
Analysis Summary
This article tries to convince you that the Iranian government is intentionally blocking the internet to silence its people and stop protests. It does this by quoting authority figures and creating a clear 'us versus them' picture, where the government is the suppressor and the people are trying to resist. While it presents some claims as facts, it doesn't give much detail about the protests or the government's reasons for the blackout, which makes the government look unilaterally oppressive.
Cross-Outlet PSYOP Detected
This article is part of a narrative being pushed across multiple outlets:
FATE Analysis
Four dimensions of psychological manipulation: how content captures Focus, exploits Authority, triggers Tribal identity, and engineers Emotion.
Focus signals
"A woman uses her phone as smoke rises following an explosion in Tehran on March 7. Despite an internet blackout, people are still finding ways to send and receive information in Iran."
The introductory image and caption immediately draw attention to a dramatic visual (smoke rising from an explosion) paired with a narrative of resilience amidst a severe event (internet blackout), framing it as an ongoing, important situation.
Authority signals
"connectivity monitor Netblocks said Friday.The nature of the blackout shows 'this is a government-imposed measure' and not the result of damage from U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, Netblocks research chief Isik Mater said."
The article leverages the credibility of 'Netblocks,' a 'connectivity monitor,' and its 'research chief, Isik Mater,' to provide an authoritative assessment distinguishing the cause of the blackout from external factors, thereby establishing veracity.
"'It is a deliberate shutdown imposed by the authorities to suppress the flow of information and prevent further dissent,' said Raha Bahreini, Iran researcher at Amnesty International."
The article uses the authority of 'Amnesty International,' a prominent human rights organization, and its 'Iran researcher, Raha Bahreini,' to support the claim that the internet shutdown is an intentional act of suppression, adding significant weight to the assertion.
Tribe signals
"'It is a deliberate shutdown imposed by the authorities to suppress the flow of information and prevent further dissent,' said Raha Bahreini, Iran researcher at Amnesty International."
This quote creates a clear 'us vs. them' dynamic, pitting 'the authorities' (the 'them') against 'the flow of information' and 'dissent' (implicitly, the 'us' who value these things). It frames the situation as a conflict where the government is actively working against its own people's communication and free expression.
Emotion signals
"'It is a deliberate shutdown imposed by the authorities to suppress the flow of information and prevent further dissent,' said Raha Bahreini, Iran researcher at Amnesty International."
While reporting a factual claim, the language 'deliberate shutdown,' 'suppress the flow of information,' and 'prevent further dissent' is chosen to evoke a sense of injustice and outrage against the actions of the 'authorities.' This taps into shared values of freedom of information and expression.
Narrative Analysis (PCP)
How the article reshapes thinking: Perception (what beliefs are targeted), Context (what information is shifted or omitted), and Permission (what behavior is being encouraged).
The article aims to instill the belief that the Iranian government is actively and intentionally suppressing information flow to control its populace and prevent dissent during a period of unrest. It wants the reader to believe that the internet blackout is a deliberate act of censorship by the authorities.
The article establishes a context where any internet disruption in Iran during protests is to be viewed as a governmental measure to suppress information, rather than potentially being, for example, a technical failure or a consequence of other events. By immediately dismissing airstrike damage, it frames the only plausible explanation as state control.
The article omits detailed context regarding the nature of the protests that might necessitate a government response, what specific 'dissent' is being prevented, or the Iranian government's stated reasons (if any) for the internet blackout. It also doesn't elaborate on the source or nature of the 'explosion in Tehran' mentioned in the photo caption, or its actual relationship to the internet outage, beyond simply stating the outage isn't due to airstrikes. The extent or nature of 'airstrikes' mentioned in passing are also not provided. This omission strengthens the narrative of unilateral government repression.
The reader is nudged toward feeling alarm, condemnation, and possibly support for actions against the Iranian government's perceived repressive behavior. It encourages a perception of the Iranian government as an oppressive regime that silences its people, and that defying this suppression (like 'finding ways to send and receive information') is a justifiable act.
SMRP Pattern
Four manipulation maintenance tactics: Socializing the idea as normal, Minimizing concerns, Rationalizing with logic, and Projecting blame.
Red Flags
High-severity indicators: silencing dissent, coordinated messaging, or weaponizing identity to shut down debate.
"Netblocks research chief Isik Mater said: 'It is a deliberate shutdown imposed by the authorities to suppress the flow of information and prevent further dissent.'; Raha Bahreini, Iran researcher at Amnesty International said: 'It is a deliberate shutdown imposed by the authorities to suppress the flow of information and prevent further dissent.'"
Techniques Found(1)
Specific propaganda techniques identified using the SemEval-2023 academic taxonomy of 23 techniques across 6 categories.
"It is a deliberate shutdown imposed by the authorities to suppress the flow of information and prevent further dissent"
This statement attributes the internet blackout solely to the authorities' desire to suppress information and dissent, potentially overlooking other complex factors that might contribute to such a situation, such as technical issues, infrastructure damage, or cybersecurity concerns.