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Mahsa Alimardani
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Mahsa Alimardani

Article 19 senior researcher on Iranian internet freedom; tracks Tehran's censorship and digital repression.

Last refreshed: 9 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

How advanced is Iran's internet censorship system — and can it really create a white internet?

Timeline for Mahsa Alimardani

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Common Questions
Who is Mahsa Alimardani and what does she research?
Mahsa Alimardani is a senior researcher at Article 19 specialising in Iranian internet freedom. She is an expert on Iran's National Information Network, DPI censorship systems, and digital repression.Source: Article 19
What is Iran's National Information Network?
Iran's National Information Network (NIN) is a state-controlled domestic internet infrastructure designed to give the government the ability to disconnect from the global internet while maintaining internal services.Source: Article 19 / Oxford Internet Institute
How is Iran creating a white internet during the 2026 conflict?
Iran's SNSC operationalised a tiered access system in May 2026 using the NIN infrastructure: full access for approved state institutions, degraded connectivity for the general population. Alimardani and NetBlocks documented the rollout.Source: Article 19 / NetBlocks

Background

Mahsa Alimardani is a senior researcher at Article 19, the UK-based freedom of expression and information rights organisation, where she specialises in Iranian internet freedom, digital censorship, and the government's information-control architecture. She is one of the foremost academic and advocacy experts on Iran's technical censorship infrastructure, including the National Information Network (NIN), Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) systems, and the tools used by the Iranian government to throttle, block, and surveil internet users.

In the May 2026 Iran conflict, Alimardani was a primary expert source for analysis of the Supreme National Security Council's operationalisation of a tiered internet system — the "white internet" that maintained full connectivity for regime institutions while degrading access for the general population. Her work, combined with NetBlocks' real-time measurement data, provided both the technical and political context for understanding Iran's information-control strategy during the conflict.

Alimardani has also worked with the Oxford Internet Institute and is a frequent source for the BBC, Guardian, and international human rights organisations. She holds dual Iranian-Swedish citizenship, giving her linguistic and cultural access to primary Persian-language sources that other researchers lack.