Censorship, trolls, and bots: The information war distorting Iran’s protests.
By Jonathan Guyer, Vox
Protesters in Iran have been resisting the government there for over two months, in response to the death of the young woman Mahsa Amini in police custody. Since September, more than 18,000 Iranians have been arrested, among them at least 70 journalists. Close to 500 protesters have been killed.

But at times, it’s been difficult for news outlets and newsmakers to convey the complete picture of the emerging protest movement and its aftershocks.
Last weekend, US newspapers sent news alerts about Iran abolishing its so-called morality police, the authority that had arrested Amini in September. But that wasn’t the full story, and US outlets quickly reframed what was initially a definitive news article. Iran’s state media said comments from Iran’s attorney general had been misinterpreted. It was more of a sign of the stress that the regime is under, perhaps, than a policy change.
This comes after a false report circulated in mid-November that Iran would execute 15,000 of the protesters. It was later debunked, but not until after it became a meme shared by influential posters. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau even tweeted it out.
Recent Posts
Talk World Radio: Sam Rosenthal On The Occupation Of DC And What’s The Matter With Democrats
September 16, 2025
Take Action Now War, peace, and politics with RootsAction’s Political Director Sam RosenthalBy David Swanson and Sam Rosenthal, Talk World Radio…
Jews And Israel Are Not The Same. Equating Them Is A Propaganda Technique
September 16, 2025
Take Action Now The claim is central to rationales for arming Israel even as leading human rights groups decry genocide in GazaBy Norman Solomon,…
House Bill Would Let Marco Rubio Strip Passports Over Political Speech
September 15, 2025
Take Action Now Provision would let the Secretary of State deny or revoke passports over alleged “material support” as critics warn of thought…
Targeting Venezuela, Trump Escalates U.S. Campaign Of Aggression In Latin America
September 15, 2025
Take Action Now The US and Latin American right have long mobilized to remove challenges to their traditional privileges and control.By Jonathan…