Iran Online: my own private Internet.

• Author: Ershadi, Julie
• Position: Citings - Brief article

IN APRIL 2011, Iran's deputy vice president for economic affairs, Ali Agha-Mohammadi, explained his government's plan to produce a "Halal Internet"--a communication network that complies with Muslim principles. "The aim of this network is to increase Iran and the Persian language's presence in what has become the most important source of international communication," he said. He expressed admiration for the Chinese system of Internet regulation and suggested that the new network would be a model for reshaping digital communication in other Muslim countries.

The prospect of a Halal Internet began appearing in...