SUBJECT LINE: Digital Iran Reloaded: Iranian Gamer Mitigation Tactics of IRI Information Controls– Monthly Report – March 2024
About the project
My research aims to show the types of censorship circumvention techniques Iranian gamers use and thereafter clarify the gaps between commonly used censorship circumvention tools in the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI). To do so, I will interview Iranian gamers to contextualize their circumvention strategies with VPNs commonly supported and created within the internet freedom community by testing these varied circumvention techniques.
Additionally, I will cross-analyze my findings with the IRI’s internet tiering system that consequently segregates users based on status, ultimately determining the level of access for each individual citizen. Through this lens, I will study internet connectivity and how the so-called “protection bill” is enforcing tiering to mitigate user access and acts of protest in Iran.
The main goal is therefore to produce a solution for better assisting high-risk internet users in Iran, while also highlighting issues of internet access implemented by the IRI. Another broader impact includes providing valuable information to the circumvention tools developer community and internet policy makers, at a global level.
PUBLIC
Activities during March 2024
- Continued phase one of the research with previous participants from my dissertation research. I have begun snowball sampling.
- I began using security protocols with proper equipment solely dedicated to the research in accordance with OTF and the host organization the Miaan Group. I will begin semi-structured interviews on sensitive subject matter with direct regards to the IRI’s methods of suppression and continue snowball sampling in April.
- The initial interview process has provided insights into their use of Psiphon, Ultrasurf, TorBrowser, Argo VPN, Lantern, to name a few, and experiences using European DNS to play MMOs like ESO through Steam Engine, Dead by Daylight using Cloudflare WARP. In some cases, Electro DNS is used to evade censorship, even though there is no blocking on the servers, like with the game Valorant. This is due in part to the uplifting of sanctions. But because of censorship in the IRI and potential account banning by US game companies, DNS is still used.
- Some players are experiencing ping ranges between 60-80 ping with different Gulf servers. However, certain gamers that are in the same city have different ranges for ping (160), and this seems to be because of the difference between say closeness of places like Doha versus a West EU server.
I am happy to also share the following:
- My conference proposal has been accepted for the Keystone DH conference in Erie, Pennsylvania. I will have the chance to workshop the Digital Iran website.
- My article proposal has been accepted for a book on critical digital methodologies. The draft will be submitted by July 5th.
Additionally, I have applied to the following:
- The Global Gathering event to meet up in person with other ICFP fellows in Portugal.
And I am also looking forward to hearing about:
- The results from the submitted the recommended sites and apps related to the project tested with Miaan and OONI, which will offer additional data regarding access and blocking in Iran.
- ICD Event
Once again, I am excited about all these opportunities as it will allow me to think deeply about the research with intellectuals and broader audiences in and outside the internet freedom community. I also believe it will lead to stimulating conversations and networking with professionals.
Activities for next month
During April, I will continue phase one of the research by conducting semi-structured interviews with users on their experiences with VPNs, other censorship circumvention tactics, filtering, etc. that have potentially improved issues with ping/latency and access. I will continue snowball sampling as a recruitment strategy. In some cases, I have had the opportunity to observe some participants’ online gaming, but mostly have yielded data based on VPN usage and talked about issues of ping/latency.
I will be connecting with the Miaan Group’s legal specialist to gain additional insights into the IRI’s seventh development plan. A lawyer’s perspective will be helpful with ideating better questions for the participants and the survey. I will inquire more about internet tiering especially with new issues coming to light like the digital identity authentication system of Iranians to provide so-called e-government services. For the Seventh Development Plan Bill, having face-based authentication, fingerprint registration, etc. to prove identity to use cyberspace is an obvious human rights issue and thus how the tiered internet has hindered their accessibility to online content and games is imperative to shed light for the internet freedom community.
I will begin writing up a set of survey questions. It is my goal to draft this with the assistance of Miaan throughout April. In May, I will get approval and feedback for edits. Then by June I will disseminate the survey using Survey Monkey (phase 2 of the research).