Iran’s Internet Blackout Signals Dangerous Shift Toward Permanent Digital Isolation
For more than a week in January 2026, Iran has existed in what cybersecurity experts describe as a near-total digital blackout. Over 92 million people — an entire nation — have been abruptly disconnected from the global internet, with even basic phone and text services severely disrupted. What began as another temporary shutdown now appears to be evolving into something far more alarming: the possible construction of a permanently isolated national internet. This shutdown is already among the longest and most severe ever recorded. But its duration is not the most troubling aspect. What has alarmed digital rights organizations, network … Read more
