Iran finally unblocked social networking sites, Facebook and Twitter, giving its countrymen access to the sites Monday, without having to bypass the government's firewall.
Social networking sites have become popular means of communication between friends and family over the recent years. Any trending topic on politics, sports, contests, people, celebs or rumors, becomes a conversational point among common people. Most of the times their voices are heard loud and sometimes they go in vain, but social networking plays a significant role in people's lives.
The growing popularity of sites like Twitter and Facebook, forced some governments to block people from accessing them. In 2009, Iran blocked Facebook and Twitter for people in the country but people continued to connect clandestinely through virtual private networks (VPN) software to computers outside the country.
Iran's new President Hassan Rouhani, who took over his post in August, has plans to loosen the government's tight grip on the people. Iranians were surprised Monday, when they were able to access Facebook and Twitter without bypassing the government's firewall. After four years, the country has regained access to the world's famous social networking sites.
There was no official announcement by the President about the unblocking of the sites, but the reform-minded leader has his official Twitter account (@HassanRouhani), which has often been used to congratulate Iranian athletes or even greet people on religious holidays. But a recent tweet from Rouhani hinted at unblocking of the social media sites in the country.
"Gone are the days when a wall could be built around the country. Today there are no more walls." - @HassanRouhani, July 2013 #hope #iran
- Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) September 17, 2013
Several users took their excitement to now-unblocked Facebook and Twitter.
Okay people the rumors are true, this is my first tweet ever using Iran's state cell phone internet service without VPN!!! - Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) September 16, 2013
No idea if and how long this will last, but I'm enjoying it for the time being. - Jason Rezaian (@jrezaian) September 16, 2013
Twitter is no longer blocked in Iran. That's magnificent! - Arman Eshaghi (@es_arman) September 16, 2013
my first legal tweet from tehran :))
- kaveh pajouhan (@kavehpajouhan) September 16, 2013
I'm happy that my first tweet from Iran via the mobile network is on the unblocking of #Twitter and #Facebook - Ali Hashem علي هاشم (@alihashem_tv)September 16, 2013
