Iran’s Internet Blackout Fuels Disinformation Campaigns on Social Media
According to the New York Times, Iran’s shutdown of online discourse within the country has created conditions for widespread disinformation on external social media platforms. The internet blackout has enabled both the Iranian government and its critics to flood social media outside Iran with disinformation campaigns and fake images, the report states.
The Times reports that with domestic online discourse severely restricted, battles over truth are now raging on international social media platforms. Both sides of the conflict are exploiting the information vacuum created by the shutdown to spread their narratives to external audiences.
The situation highlights how internet blackouts, while restricting information flow within a country, can paradoxically amplify misinformation campaigns targeting international audiences. According to the Times, the lack of verifiable information from within Iran has made it easier for both government actors and opposition groups to circulate unverified or fabricated content, including fake images, to shape international perception of events.
The report underscores the challenges of verifying information during internet shutdowns and the resulting information warfare that unfolds on platforms accessible outside the affected region.