Youth Online in Iran

A nice report today by James Whittington at BBC Online examines the Iranian public’s rapidly increasing demand for Internet access, especially as the expanding younger generation searches for ways to break down the barriers to communication established both internally and externally. Using local service provider Pars-Online as an example, the story describes well the problems for an Internet company in Iran. Not only does the company face bureaucratic hassles, financial hurdles, and infrastructure woes as a private company in a state-dominated economy. As an Iranian company, it also faces U.S. sanctions, making it difficult to get basic equipment. To top it all off, the constant brain-drain from Iran to the West, notably to the U.S., makes it hard to keep good staff.