A new feature introduced by platform X that displays the location used to create and log into user accounts has triggered widespread reactions. Officials of Iran’s regime continue to insist on internet censorship, even though they themselves enjoy unrestricted access.
X has recently introduced a feature that reveals the IP address used to create an account, as well as the country and method currently being used to access it.
In Iran, however, the X platform—like many other social networks—has long been blocked by the regime, forcing users to rely on VPNs to access it.
For this reason, the new feature on X does not display Iran as the access location for most domestic users, since they connect through VPNs and foreign servers.
What has triggered widespread public outrage in Iran is that the feature still shows Iran as the access location for a number of regime officials, political figures, and state-aligned media personalities.
Critics say this shows they are using unrestricted access—known as “tiered internet” and “white SIM cards”—which are exempt from censorship.
Public outrage over privileged internet access for regime-affiliated users
For example, the data show that Amirhossein Sabeti, a member of the regime’s parliament and a staunch supporter of compulsory hijab and filtering, uses an American smartphone and unrestricted “white” internet access.
Observers say these “white SIM cards” are issued by the Intelligence Ministry and the IRGC Intelligence Organization to regime-affiliated figures, enabling them to operate online without censorship in support of Iran’s regime.
It has also become apparent that many accounts claiming to be regime opponents based abroad are actually being operated from inside Iran.
The UK Defence Journal, citing the new account-location data from platform X, reported that several prominent pro-Scottish-independence accounts—claiming to be Scottish activists—are actually run from inside Iran.
The UK Defence Journal wrote that some of these accounts briefly expressed support for Iran’s regime during the twelve-day war between Iran’s regime and Israel.
However, when Iran’s regime shut down the internet nationwide during the war, activity on these accounts stopped at the exact same time.
