After Iranians were enraged over the government's decision to block Gmail last week, Iran thinks it has found a way to keep everyone happy. Iran will introduce their own domestic version of Gmail that will totally be just as good.
Last week Iran announced their plan to block access to Google an Gmail as part of their ongoing cyber security plans that includes launching their own domestic Internet service within the next year. It might have also been because of Innocence of Muslims. It's unclear. But Iranians were outraged! Don't take our Gmail, they said. "Some problems have emerged through the blocking of Gmail," said one Iranian official to a local paper. The government is reportedly thinking of lifting the ban on Gmail, but their real hope is their domestic alternative, "the Fajr ('Dawn') e-mail services," will catch on.
The plans to launch a domestic Internet service have been met with some resistance. The government argues it makes things more secure, while detractors see it as an effort to further censor Iranians' access to information on the Internet. "Personally, I would like to use the global internet," an Iranian citizen told Al-Jazeera. Facebook and Youtube are both blocked within the country. There's no access to Innocence of Muslims, sure. But no funny cat videos either.
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