Sep 17 2007

Iran Cuts Off Google

Published by Gaius at 6:23 am under Blogosphere, Geek Stuff, Iran

Iran has blocked access to Google, Gmail and a number of other, unspecified websites. Internet users in that benighted country are no longer able to access those sites as of this morning according to media reports.

TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran has blocked access to the Google search engine and its Gmail email service as part of a clampdown on material deemed to be offensive, the Mehr news agency reported on Monday.

"I can confirm these sites have been filtered," said Hamid Shahriari, the secretary of Iran's National Council of Information.

He did not explain why the sites were being blocked. Google, Gmail and several other foreign sites appeared to be inaccessible to Iranian users from Monday morning.

Iran has tough censorship on cultural products and internet access, banning thousands of websites and blogs containing sexual and politically critical material as well as women's rights and social networking sites.

I wonder if Blue Crab Boulevard is one of the sites blocked. Sitemeter reported a visit a few days ago by the Iranian Foreign Ministry that was directed here from a Google search - the visit lasted some 20 minutes according to the logs.

6 Responses to “Iran Cuts Off Google”

  1. # feeblemindon 17 Sep 2007 at 9:13 am

    If I may be bold as to ask, what was the search word that brought them to the Crabitat? Hope they aren’t contemplating issuing a fatwa on you Gaius. Heh heh.

  2. # Gaiuson 17 Sep 2007 at 9:20 am

    Not sure, it was a few days ago now. I just remember the odd ones when I see them.

  3. # feeblemindon 17 Sep 2007 at 11:58 am

    Anyway, it must be pretty cool to have people in powerful positions taking an interest in your blog, though perhaps in this instance, ‘creepy’ might be a better term?

  4. # Gaiuson 17 Sep 2007 at 12:00 pm

    It isn’t the first time Iran has visited. I also get the occasional long look from various US agencies and a couple of other governments as well. I don’t know if anyone is actually reading or not, of course.

  5. # Israpundit » Blog Archive » ‘Panic’ in Tehran over Israel’s Operation Orchard in Syriaon 17 Sep 2007 at 8:54 pm

    […] The crazed mullahs and the Revolutionary Guards under orders from President Ahmadinejad shut off all email access by closing down Google G mail and other Internet access. Then, Tehran put out a report that they had 500 to 600 Shehab III missiles aimed at targets in the Middle East, specifically, Israel and U.S. forces in Iraq. […]

  6. # ‘Panic’ in Tehran by Israel’s Operation Orchard in Syria | Jewish,Synagogue,Torah,Judaism,Kosheron 17 Sep 2007 at 9:25 pm

    […] The crazed mullahs and the Revolutionary Guards under orders from President Ahmadinejad shut off all newsletter access by closing down Google G mail and other World Wide Web access. soon after, Tehran put out a report that they had 500 to 600 Shehab III missiles aimed at targets in the Middle East, specifically, Israel and U.S. forces in Iraq. […]