INTERNET SHUTDOWNS IN 2023 censored national intranet, to restricting mobile access and blocking social media and messaging platforms.263 In 2023, this authoritarian approach reached its peak during protests and crackdowns on ethnic minorities, with at least 28 shutdowns coinciding with weekly protests during Friday prayers in vvv and Baluchistan.264 Throughout 2023, Iranian authorities maintained longstanding blocks of specific apps and services, such as Signal, which has been restricted since January 2021,265 and WhatsApp, Instagram, Skype, LinkedIn, 47 and Viber, all of which have been restricted since 2022.266 Iranians rely heavily on the internet and these platforms for organizing protests, communicating, and sharing important information.267 Iran has also expanded its use of internet shutdowns in other contexts. In January 2023, authorities disrupted local internet access during university admission exams in an attempt to prevent leaking of exam questions and other forms of cheating.268 This caused significant disruption, negatively impacting businesses and people residing in those areas.269 Authorities also cut internet access in Kurdistan in November, aligning with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's visit.270 Shutdowns during exams Authorities in the MENA region have clung to using internet shutdowns as a method to stop cheating during exams, which has proven to be disproportionate, draconian, and a violation of human rights. Not only do these shutdowns disrupt businesses, banking, emergency services, and people’s daily lives, they have failed to stop cheating or leaking of exam questions.271 Our monitoring underscores the need for governments and educational leaders to identify measures to address cheating that do not have broad negative impacts for entire populations.272 The governments of Iraq, Syria, Algeria, and Iran imposed a total of 10 shutdowns during exams in 2023. 263 Reuters (2023). Iran steps up internet crackdown one year after Mahsa Amini death. https://www.reuters.com/article/ idUSL8N3AJ203/ 264 Filterwatch (2023). Cloudflare and Protests in Sistan and Baluchestan become targets of internet disruptions. https://filter. watch/en/2023/03/22/cloudflare-and-protests-in-sistan-and-baluchestan-become-targets-of-internet-disruptions/ 265 Al Jazeera (2021). Iran blocks Signal messaging app after WhatsApp exodus. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/26/iran-blocks-signal-messaging-app-after-whatsapp-exodus 266 Euronews (2023). Iran maintains block on WhatsApp and Instagram. https://www.euronews.com/2023/02/01/iran-maintains-block-on-whatsapp-and-instagram; OONI (2022). Technical multistakeholder report on Internet shutdowns: The case of Iran amid autumn 2022 protests. https://ooni.org/post/2022-irantechnical-multistakeholder-report/ 267 Access Now (2023). Stop suppressing the population: authorities in Iran must #KeepItOn. https://www.accessnow.org/press-release/iran-authorities-must-keepiton/; see also Los Angeles Times (2022). In protests over death of Mahsa Amini, internet is key to planning. Can Iran block access? https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/ story/2022-09-28/for-iranian-protesters-a-digital-double-edged-sword 268 269 270 Supra note 50. Filterwatch (2024). Ibid. IODA (@ IODA_live). X post. 7:19 am. November 2, 2023. https://x.com/IODA_live/status/1720053084020240693 271 See SMEX (2022). Internet Shutdowns to Prevent Cheating During Exams: The Impact on Society and Economy in the MENA Region. https://smex.org/internet-shutdowns-to-prevent-cheating-during-exams-the-impact-on-society-and-economy-in-themena-region/ 272 Supra note 51.