Thread by @OliverLinow

7 reasons why #Starlink_for_Iran is not helping now!!!
@SecBlinken has announced emergency aid to support Internet Freedom for Iran. Elon Musk is all over Twitter, announcing that he wants to activate Starlink for Iran. Here is my opinion...(1/8) #MahsaAminii

To use Starlink, you need special equipment with a sat antenna. It is only good for stationary reception. In 🇮🇷 however, the mobile internet is shut-down so that people cannot use their smartphones to report from the streets. The benefit of Starlink is nearly zero...(2/8)

So every #Starlink_for_Iran user needs new equipment. It means, an existing smartphone or router is not enough. Starlink is not a technology for the millions of Iranians. Even if you take into account that the internet is shared via WiFi, which can be dangerous. (3/8)

In Iran, private satellite antennas have been dismounted by the police in the past and destroyed in public. So it may be visible from the outside if you use Starlink. (4/8)

Different from TV reception via satellite, with Starlink you send your data to the satellite. This is measurable and identifiable for the authorities. In theory, the geodata could be used to directly control weapons systems. (5/8)

Iranians have been familiar with censorship for many years and are technically skilled in using tools for circumventing censorship. More than 2 mio people use
@PsiphonInc daily. A reach I don't see with Starlink. It is established and works on phones and the desktop. (6/8)

@torproject also helps Iranians to circumvent censorship. A huge community of volunteers help with #Snowflake proxies. Usage from Iran is rising rapidly. Tor also ensures that users and their data are anonymized. (7/8)

Last but not least. Data safety! With Starlink, users put their data in the hands of a central system run by a person who wanted to buy Twitter yesterday and changed his mind the next day. Do you want to be reliant on a single person's satellite system? (8/8) @zdfmagazin #Iran