New X (Formerly Twitter) location labels expose 'internet apartheid' in Iran

A recent update on the platform X that shows the location of users and login methods has ignited a political and media storm in Iran after revealing that several public figures who support internet filtering were accessing unblocked connections. The discovery revived long-standing frustration over what many see as unequal distribution of digital access.

Iranian outlets circulated a list of journalists, lawmakers and political figures alleged to have access to the so-called "whitelisted Internet", which is unfiltered connections exempt from state restrictions. The names reported included conservative and reformist journalists, MPs and well-known supporters of blocking foreign platforms. The issue quickly became a major point of debate across media, politics and social networks.

The dispute gained momentum after X activated a feature displaying the geographical origin of posts. It appeared to show that some public figures who oppose lifting filtering were posting through unrestricted connections inside Iran. The episode sharpened criticism of a system in which filtering remains official policy, yet some of its defenders reportedly bypass it with special access.

The reformist daily Etemad reported that the so-called "White Card" allows full, unfiltered access to all operator services and is typically issued to officials and specific professional groups. The idea of providing unfiltered access to academics, journalists and doctors dates back to the early 2010s, and some recipients have previously confirmed having such lines. Authorities also proposed extending unfiltered service to foreign tourists last year to allow full use of WhatsApp, Telegram and Instagram. Technical specialists, some political activists and journalists also receive these connections.

Names circulated in recent days include conservative MPs Hamid Rasai and Amir Hossein Sabati, reformist journalist and activist Abbas Abdi, activist Emadeddin Baghi and government media council head Elias Hazrati.

Rasai denied having a white card, saying in a televised debate that his activity on X does not indicate privileged access and that he uses free VPNs when needed. He said part of his online presence is managed by his media team, and that wider access for officials, journalists and some security bodies is a professional tool rather than a personal benefit.

Baghi said he had been given only a restricted "Grey Line" that failed to open many sites, including his own, forcing him to use VPNs. He called for filtering to be lifted for everyone or for his own access to be revoked.

Unease over unequal access comes as Iran continues to restrict foreign platforms. Filtering intensified after the late-2022 protests. During the 2023 presidential campaign, Massoud Pezeshkian pledged to lift restrictions; in December 2024, authorities unblocked WhatsApp and Google Play following a decision by the Supreme Council of Cyberspace. But Telegram, Instagram and X remain filtered, drawing criticism of Pezeshkian for failing to meet campaign promises more than a year into his presidency.

Earlier this month, Iranian media reported that negotiations between the Ministry of Communications and Telegram over unblocking the platform had failed. The conservative Mehr News Agency said Iran had demanded limits on ethnic and nationalist incitement, the removal of content based on user complaints, cooperation with the judiciary, action against accounts linked to terrorism or national security threats, and guarantees not to hand user data to foreign intelligence services.

Media activist Ali Qalehki wrote on X that about 50,000 white cards are currently active, most held by officials. He argued that easy access for senior figures has reduced pressure to lift filtering for the wider public. White cards first emerged during Hassan Rouhani’s presidency (2013–21) and expanded significantly after the 2017 and 2019 protests, rising from about 1,200 to tens of thousands by May 2025.

Technology outlet Zoomit reported that demand for unfiltered lines surged after Israel’s June 2025 attack on Iran. The number of white cards grew from fewer than 3,000 to around 50,000 as internet disruptions during the confrontation drove officials and professionals to seek more reliable access.

The current row follows a similar controversy over "class-based internet" last July, when the Supreme Council of Cyberspace approved regulations for a committee tasked with facilitating digital-economy companies. The rules granted some firms access to unfiltered internet to ensure operational stability. 

Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani denied that the policy created privileged tiers of access, insisting the government supports free access for all while allowing limited professional exceptions. Public criticism nevertheless surged on social media, prompting the government’s media office to state that the committee had no link to "class-based internet" and the government opposes any likewise policy

Iranian technology expert Mohammad-Javad Motabaheri told The New Arab that unfiltered connections have long been available to officials, MPs, pro-government journalists and politically connected activists. He said the X update exposed how some of the strongest supporters of filtering had access to unrestricted internet, while citizens must rely on VPNs to view their posts.

Motabaheri said public pressure may push the government to reduce access for some users, but it is unlikely to eliminate the white internet entirely. He expects adjustments, such as reassigning eligibility, rather than ending the system. He added that authorities often justify white lines on security grounds, arguing that VPN use carries higher cybersecurity risks. This rationale should also apply to ordinary users, he said.

In a post on X on 30 Nov 2025, presidential communications official Mehdi Tabatabaei said filtering could be lifted once critics accepted that President Pezeshkian was not seeking political advantage. Wider access to information and social media is "a sincere effort to restore a social right", not merely the fulfilment of a campaign pledge, he wrote.