The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim Iran's information war: the battle for control of the internet
Jan 31, 2026
Mahsa Alimardani, Associate Director at WITNESS and expert on disinformation and AI, explains Iran's toolkit for controlling information. She describes internet shutdowns, app censorship, satellite windows like Starlink, and sophisticated regime disinformation tactics including AI forgeries. She also discusses authentication tools like Proof Mode and the push for independent connectivity to keep Iranian voices heard.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Return Of Connectivity Revealed Mass Casualties
- Iranians reported partial restoration of internet and shared horrifying accounts of killings and thousands of body bags emerging from hospitals.
- People described witnessing massacres live and struggling with the trauma of what they saw.
Internet Centralized As A National Security Tool
- Iran began rapid internet centralization after 2009 to control social movements and information flows.
- The government created bodies like the Supreme Council for Cyberspace to treat the internet as a national security issue.
Shutdown Covered A Deadly Crackdown
- During the 2019 shutdown Iran imposed a week-long blackout and reportedly killed at least 1,500 protesters under its cover.
- Mahsa describes the shutdown as a deliberate tool used to commit mass atrocities and suppress uprisings.