Archive · 17 Jan 2026
Iran Protests Test Starlink's Role in Internet Censorship
Iran is having big protests, and the government is trying to stop people from talking to each other by cutting off the internet.
Starlink, a satellite internet service by SpaceX, is helping people in Iran stay connected.
The Iranian government is trying to stop Starlink by using special tools to jam and confuse the signals.
Starlink is important because it's hard to block, and many people are using it to share videos and information about what's happening.
SpaceX made Starlink free for Iranians, and now everyone is watching to see if Starlink can keep working despite Iran's efforts to stop it.
The U.S. government has also helped by allowing Starlink to be used in Iran without breaking sanctions.
Activists have been smuggling Starlink terminals into Iran for years, and now there are about 50,000 of them in the country.
The Iranian government is using drones and other methods to try to find and confiscate the Starlink terminals, but it's hard to block them all because they are hidden and spread out.
Iran's government has shut down internet and cellular networks to suppress protests, but activists have used Starlink to bypass these restrictions.
About 50,000 Starlink terminals have been smuggled into Iran, defying a ban on the systems and helping protesters share information.
Iran has deployed military-grade electronic weaponry to disrupt Starlink's GPS signals, a tactic rarely used outside of battlefields.
Starlink is still available only to a small portion of the Iranian population, and most people continue to face heavy internet restrictions.
The U.S. government has coordinated with SpaceX to provide a sanctions exemption for Starlink in Iran, supporting activists' efforts to maintain communication.
- Who
- Iranian government, protesters, SpaceX, U.S. government, digital activists
- What
- Iranian crackdown on protests and use of Starlink for communication
- When
- Ongoing, with recent escalation in protests and restrictions
- Where
- Iran
- Why
- Iran aims to suppress dissent and control communication, while Starlink provides a lifeline for protesters
- Starlink
- Satellite internet service by SpaceX
- Iranian Protests
- Thousands protesting against clerical rule
- Starlink Terminals
- Tens of thousands smuggled into Iran
- Iranian Tactics
- Using jammers and spoofing to disrupt Starlink
- SpaceX Revenue
- $15 billion in 2024 from Starlink
- Starlink Satellites
- Roughly 10,000 low-orbiting satellites
- Iranian Law
- Banned Starlink with severe penalties
- Internet Shutdowns
- 296 in 2024 across 54 countries
