Interrogating Iran’s restricted public cloud: An Actor Network Theory perspective

•By applying an Actor Network Theory, this study investigates the “Halal Internet” in Iran.•The paper argues that the national Internet, in essence, is a publicly controlled cloud.•The new cloud should be viewed as an intensified Internet content and filtering.

The recent development of cloud computing is touted to offer promising opportunities for service delivery to organizations and communities by sharing computing power, storage and network infrastructure in a more effective and efficient manner. Cloud computing also bears many other issues, particularly in the context of non-democratic countries. These issues may include security concerns associated with the use of shared resources, embedded control and monitoring systems, physical storage locations and their management as well as the tools and services that otherwise may give oppressive regimes the ability to impose yet more restrictive Internet access on their citizens.By applying Actor Network Theory, this study critically investigates the controversial national “Halal Internet” recently introduced in Iran. It argues that the national Internet, in essence, is a publicly controlled cloud which restricts citizens’ freedom on the Net and therefore should be viewed as an intensified Internet content and filtering method, exercised by the elites in power.