The issue of filtering in Iran is as complex as it is straightforward. If we set aside the question of why filtering occurs in Iran and why we are the second-most restricted country for internet access after China, we can discuss the surrounding issues.

The internet, the most modern method of communication in the world, is not tied to any single country. It is perhaps one of the first decentralized technologies in history. This is one reason why countries quickly embraced it. By “decentralized,” we mean that much of the early development of the internet was carried out by individuals outside of government. For instance, when British researchers were working on the creation of the internet, the government not only failed to support them but required these researchers to pay customs duties and taxes for importing equipment out of their own pockets.

Today, however, governments recognize that better and faster communication plays a major role in economic growth. As a result, ensuring internet stability is now considered part of national security. In Europe and the United States, large amounts of money are spent annually to safeguard international data transmission lines, ensure uninterrupted network connectivity, and protect undersea cables. The importance of communication is clear to these countries. Even initiatives like Starlink were developed to expand connectivity further. Government support for projects like Starlink underscores the realization of how vital communication is. The internet has now connected people across the globe, creating a global society where no one is confined to their street, city, or country.

In contrast, countries like China and Iran face political challenges with communication. In Iran, not only is filtering pervasive, but communication itself is not treated as a national asset. Internet connections can be disrupted at any time, and even international data cables may suddenly be severed. There is a severe lack of effort to ensure network stability or improve infrastructure, and investments in international data transmission lines or their security are virtually nonexistent in Iran’s communication plans. All of this indicates that, in Iran, communication is viewed more as a problem than as an asset—a resource that could otherwise benefit the country.

When “prohibitions” are introduced anywhere in the world, people find ways around them. For instance, in Iran, strict import bans have led people to embrace smuggled goods. Some border residents even risk their lives due to unemployment, carrying items like refrigerators on their backs for kilometers to deliver them to consumers. In this way, restrictions and prohibitions create secondary markets. The sale of VPNs in Iran has expanded for the same reason. Contrary to the belief that VPN vendors are part of large-scale mafias, much of the VPN market is driven by individuals, such as students or those without major employment.

The reality is that creating a VPN is not complicated. Anyone can rent a server abroad and, by following a few steps, set up a VPN server in minutes. This process typically costs less than 400,000 tomans (roughly $10). They can then sell access to this server to 30 to 50 users, generating 3 to 5 million tomans ($75–$125) in revenue.

A student or unemployed individual with minimal knowledge of Linux commands could earn 10 million tomans ($250) per month with just 100 customers. Finding 100 or even 1,000 customers is not difficult since many people rely on VPNs to access certain platforms, and nearly everyone is willing to pay 100,000 to 200,000 tomans ($2.50–$5) per month for it. Additionally, some individuals with basic technical knowledge set up private VPN servers for themselves and their families, splitting the cost of a 500,000-toman ($12.50) server among themselves. This arrangement reduces the monthly VPN expense to less than 50,000 tomans ($1.25) per person, while also improving security since they control the VPN server.

I emphasize using the term “VPN” instead of “filter breaker” because a VPN is primarily a tool for enhancing network security. If you set up a VPN on your personal server, your communication will be significantly more secure compared to when you are not using one. For example, no one would be able to tamper with the data you send or receive. In Iran, the communication system manipulates transmitted and received data to monitor and control the network. A VPN, by improving security, prevents such interference.

The claim that VPNs cause insecure communications is incorrect. Some users, due to a lack of technical knowledge and a need for unrestricted internet access, rely on free and insecure VPNs, which expose their devices to malware and other risks. The root cause of this is nothing but the network restrictions themselves. In the past, only those familiar with VPNs’ security benefits used them. Today, however, VPNs have become commonplace, present in nearly every household. Tools like VPNs, which were once primarily used by large companies and organizations to ensure secure communication, are now essential for the average Iranian.

The reality is that, in today’s Iran, the internet has no meaning without VPNs.