Unfiltered internet is only open for the privileged.
The ‘white SIM card’ was exposed.
The latest update to the platform X, which shows users’ connections, turned into a full-length mirror in Iran, revealing a reality that had been hidden under the rug for years—a reality called the ‘white SIM card’ and special privileges granted only to a select few.
The display of ‘Iran’ in the profiles of some local users, at a time when everyone is forced to use a VPN to access this platform, was not only questionable but also a full-blown revelation about the class-based internet and the hypocrisy of filtering advocates.
In simple terms, a ‘white SIM card’ means a SIM card with no filters or restrictions, while people constantly have to wrestle with VPNs and foreign servers to use filtered platforms. Holders of these SIM cards easily access X, Telegram, YouTube, and other social networks with an Iran IP without any hassle.
This special access began with Rouhani’s administration and expanded under Raisi’s government under the title ‘specialized internet’ or the same ‘white SIM card.’ According to reports, this access is usually granted to managers, representatives, individuals close to governmental bodies, some journalists, and even some media and cyber activists of the government.
This clear disparity reignited anger and feelings of discrimination among the people. Citizens who have been living with VPN disruptions, speed drops, security risks, and additional costs for years, when they saw that those who have been the strongest defenders of filtering themselves freely use unfiltered internet, rightly called this situation ‘class-based internet.’
Many users on social networks wrote that the story is exactly like the famous line from Animal Farm: ‘All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.’
This contradiction between slogans and actions, especially among staunch supporters of plans like the ‘protection plan,’ questioned the legitimacy and honesty of their claims.
They ask the people to accept filtering and see restrictions as protection, but they are the first to escape this protection and enjoy the benefits of free internet.
On the other hand, some journalists have warned that ‘white SIM cards,’ especially if given to journalists, can be a tool for fully monitoring their activities, meaning a privilege that seems attractive but can severely threaten individual and professional security in practice.
This new discussion brought the core issue back to the forefront. The main issue is not just the unequal distribution of the internet; it’s the filtering itself—a structure that automatically produces discrimination and favoritism.
When the fundamental right to access information as a public right is not recognized, the result is nothing but these deep gaps and privileged advantages.
This issue reminded us that in such a structure, restrictive tools are always for the people, not for those in power. Those who have defended the continuation of filtering for years under the name of protection are the same ones who have reserved the least costly and safest path to free internet for themselves.
The big problem in Iran today is not why some have ‘white SIM cards’ and others do not. The problem is why there should be something called a ‘white SIM card’ at all. As long as filtering remains a governmental tool, these discriminations and gaps will continue.
The real solution is the complete removal of filtering and ending any form of class-based internet. Free access to information is not a privilege or advantage; it is the natural right of all people.