"After Iran's government cut off access to much of the internet on Thursday, Iranians have turned to proxy tools and Starlink's constellation of low-orbit satellites to get online and share news of the protests with the outside world. Starlink does not have a licence to operate in Iran, but thousands of its terminals have been smuggled into Iran since 2022 when then-United States President Joe Biden authorised US tech companies to bypass sanctions and sell Iranians communication tools."
"Although neither Starlink nor Musk has publicly confirmed the news, a person familiar with Starlink services told Bloomberg that the company is offering free services to Iran. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam director of Iran Human Rights, a human rights group with members inside and outside Iran told Al Jazeera that access to Starlink has played a pivotal role in sharing information about the protests, including estimates about the death toll. It has been extremely important because the alternative would have been no information, Amiry-Moghaddam said."
Starlink reportedly offers free satellite internet to users in Iran amid a government communications blackout during antigovernment protests. After the government cut off much of the internet, Iranians used proxy tools and Starlink's low-orbit satellites to get online and share images and videos of protests and the crackdown. Starlink lacks a licence in Iran, and thousands of terminals were smuggled into the country since 2022 after U.S. authorization allowed some tech sales. U.S. political figures urged restoration of access, and a Bloomberg source said Starlink is offering free services. Human rights activists say Starlink access has been pivotal for reporting and estimating deaths. Iranian authorities are attempting to jam satellite signals, and legal questions about Starlink's actions persist.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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