In a surprise action on Tuesday, the United States government seized more than 30 website domains connected to Iran’s government, disrupting access to multiple state-backed media outlets. US officials said the action stemmed from terrorist disinformation distributed on the sites and their violation of sanctions. But press freedom advocates caution that the takedowns have much broader implications for free speech rights and foreign relations alike.
Impacted sites included English and Arabic outlets Press TV and Al-Alam, and others like the Yemeni Houthi channel Al-Masirah TV. They were all run by the Iranian Islamic Radio and Television Union. The DOJ also took down three sites associated with the Iraqi paramilitary group Kata’ib Hizballah, which has Iranian support. The move extends a controversial precedent set by the Trump administration, made all the more concerning by the disjointed and seemingly uncoordinated nature of the operation.
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Source: The US Takedown of Iranian Media Sites Extends a Thorny Precedent | WIRED