Iran’s internet is returning – but not for everyone
After a week of widespread internet shutdowns across Iran, connectivity is slowly being restored in some areas. The blackout, which began on November 16th, affected citizens nationwide, disrupting daily life and blocking access to social media platforms in the midst of widespread protests triggered by a spike in fuel prices. The government justified the shutdown as a measure to restore order and prevent the spread of unrest.
While some regions are regaining internet access, others, particularly in the volatile regions of Khuzestan, Kurdistan, and Kermanshah, continue to experience connectivity issues. Authorities claim that the targeted approach is necessary to prevent protesters from organizing and inciting violence online. However, critics argue that the government is attempting to conceal human rights abuses and restrict the flow of information to the international community.
Internet access in Iran is frequently controlled and censored by the government, which has a history of clamping down on dissent and restricting freedom of speech. The recent shutdowns have drawn condemnation from human rights organizations and sparked concerns about the Iranian government’s commitment to upholding democratic values.
As the situation in Iran continues to unfold, the partial restoration of internet access remains a contentious issue, with implications for both the citizens of Iran and the international community monitoring the developments closely.
Sources Analysis:
Government sources – The Iranian government has a history of restricting information and controlling the narrative, which raises concerns about the transparency of their statements regarding the internet shutdowns.
Human rights organizations – These organizations have a vested interest in promoting human rights and freedom of speech, which may influence their perspective on the situation in Iran.
Fact Check:
The internet shutdown began on November 16th – Verified fact. The start date of the shutdown can be independently verified through multiple sources.
Critics argue that the government is attempting to conceal human rights abuses – Unconfirmed claim. While there are concerns about human rights abuses in Iran, the intention behind the internet shutdowns is subject to interpretation and may vary among different parties.
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Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “Iran’s internet is returning – but not for everyone”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.