Iranian web users finally regain access to Facebook and Twitter after four years. Everyone can now enjoy the social media sites without needing to get past the blocks that the government used for years to filter access to these types of sites, the N.Y Times reports.
There were no immediate reasons provided from the government regarding any formal decision on blocking the websites. These sites were blocked from internet users of Iran since 2009 because the government believed that they were channels used to mobilize demonstrations lead by antigovernment organizations.
Prior Monday, many Iranian web users used VPN or virtual private networks to access computers outside Iran. However, there were moves by the country's telecom ministry to also block that type of traffic.
The new Iranian president Hassan Rouhani promised a few times that internet censorship would soon be less stringent. Rouhani, together with the ministers of his cabinet, were said to have subscribed to Facebook and Twitter, with were reported to be active.
One particular user, Bita posted on her Facebook wall to express his delight, “Hurray, I came to Facebook without using VPN. Thank you Rouhani!!!"
The internet censorship responsibility lies on Iran's Supreme Council for Cyberspace. It blocks millions of internet sites from Iranian web users, including Twitter, Facebook and New York Times. To uphold its policies, there are special unit of police officers who drop by residences of users to warn against visiting blocked pages.
It was particularly tough to get past the firewall during the presidential elections in June. A few days prior the Election Day, the incumbent's supporters of former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad waged for blocks to be lifted from pro-Ahmadinejad sites.
Although the fact that the social media sites were accessible indicate a possible decision favoring more lenient internet censorship, some Iranians still suggest caution and that this may be an firewall glitch as previously happened in several instances.