Iran’s sweeping internet blackout has reached its 16th day and ranks as one of the world’s most severe communications shutdowns on record, even as data suggests some services are coming back online sporadically, with Iranian authorities allowing limited and heavily filtered access while pushing out propaganda.

Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported on Jan. 23 that messaging apps and virtual private networks have become more widely available, potentially marking a slight shift after weeks of near-total disconnection. But the group warned that overall international connectivity remains extremely low amid signs that authorities are attempting to generate false traffic to help manufacture narratives of a wider restoration.

This communications cut, launched in response to a wave of anti-government protests, gave the regime cover to launch a deadly crackdown. Although the threat of an imminent US military intervention in Iran appears to have receded since last week, the situation remains tense as of this writing, with an American aircraft carrier strike group heading to the Middle East. 

What happened: Iran imposed a nationwide communications shutdown on Jan. 8 as........

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