The Filtering Working Group did not accept the request of the Ministry of Communications to remove the Google Play filter

With the rejection of the request of the Ministry of Communications to remove the Google Play filter by the Filtering Working Group, there will no longer be news of free access to the Google Play platform.

In November of last year, following the unrest in the country, a new wave of filtering began, and Google Play Store was also affected by filtering. Google Play, which was the source of many Iranian users to download the most up-to-date Android applications, was officially removed from their reach. Of course, after a while, there were whispers based on fixing its filter, but it was nothing but a malfunction in the filtering system. Since then, the need to remove the Google Play filter has always been discussed, but the opposition of the filtering working group to the request of the Ministry of Communications to remove its filter shows that this platform has joined the ranks of the likes of YouTube, Telegram, Instagram, etc.

The Filtering Working Group opposes the removal of the Google Play filter

Iran’s Minister of Communications, Issa Zarepour, recently mentioned to reporters that the Ministry of Communications and the Computer Trade Union Organization have stated their request to remove the Google Play filter during a meeting with the working group to determine instances of criminal content. However, the Filtering Working Group has resisted their request to make this functional platform available again.

The Minister of Communications noted that, in his opinion, some of the imposed restrictions should be revised; This is despite the fact that some time ago he had officially announced his opposition to removing Instagram, Telegram and WhatsApp filters. Isa Zarepour also mentioned that this ministry is not responsible for deciding to filter and unfilter platforms. He had stated in the past that it is not within their authority to make a decision about filtering social networks.