US lawmakers push $10M VPN funding for 25M Iranians amid censorship
A funding crisis could cut off millions from the internet next week...
Deep Dive
US lawmakers are urgently pushing to allocate $10 million to fund VPNs and anti-censorship tech for Iranians, as demand has surged from 7.5 million to 25 million users. The Open Technology Fund warns that without immediate funding, it may be forced to cut off millions of VPN users in Iran as soon as next week, leaving them unable to safely bypass government internet restrictions during ongoing domestic unrest.
Why It Matters
This funding directly impacts the ability of millions to access uncensored information and communicate safely during a critical period of political unrest.