How Iranians get around the internet blackout despite the risks and cost

In response to a US-Israeli war on Iran, Iranian authorities have implemented a near-total internet blackout, reducing connectivity to less than one percent. To circumvent these restrictions, citizens are turning to a black market for virtual private networks (VPNs) and custom configurations installed on their phones. This underground economy, often operating on apps like Telegram, is risky and expensive, with many users falling victim to scams. Despite the dangers and high costs, these methods provide a way to bypass government filtering and access the global internet.