Officials of the Iranian regime consider the new media and social networks on the Internet serious threats to the existence of regime.  The mullahs are correct to conclude that any form of technology that will facilitate for information to reach the masses is dangerous to their dictatorial rule.

For this reason the Iranian mullahs are using any means available to them to limit the usage of social networks on the internet in Iran and specifically Facebook and Twitter.  They have just recently announced that Iranian Cyber Police has begun operation in Tehran arresting a number of social activists on Facebook. Filtering social media sites is just another way of hindering the growth of usage of the networks by the Iranian youth.

An official of the Iranian regime just recently expressed his fear for the growing number of people in Iran who use Facebook to socialize and warned that the most damage the website does to the society is “taking away minds and beliefs” of the Iranian young.

He noted that at least 6 million people in Iran use Facebook to find friends and share information and discuss issues. 

To counteract, the official suggested that members of Basij force enter the media and be trained to use the media, become members and takeover the media.

But that is not new to the Iranian regime and its agents have been doing this for years.  What the mullahs should be worried about is losing their Basiji hooligans to the social media.

The poor backward thinking mullahs really believe they can stand against progress.