Issue and Opponent: At the end of December 2017, there was a massive movement of people against the economic and social situation in the country. The Iranian government censored social media and messaging services, banning photos and videos on the most popular messaging apps, like Telegram, to prevent the uprising of more people.
Dilemma Action: Since the internet was censored, Iranian protesters started scribbling slogans on banknotes, including slogans such as “I am an overthrower.” Protestors saw these banknotes as an un-censorable method of sharing their message. Nearly 8,000 tweets have been posted since 28 April under the hashtag #Onehundredthousand_talking_banknotes in Persian, according to BBC Monitoring. Most posts are aimed at raising awareness about the new online movement. Other messages read: “Our enemy is right here, they say it’s America.” This action, involving thousands of handwritten messages and drawings by thousands of anti-government supporters on bank notes, was designed to encourage dissent among the public through uncensorable methods.
Outcome: Twitter and Telegram were officially banned in the country with only a few official accounts allowed to exist. The movement recognized the importance of the writings to overcome internet censorship from the government. They became a bridge between society and social networks, which allowed for an increase in civil disobedience.