[51686] A wave of advertisements for censorship circumvention services on social networks in Iran

Rise in the advertising of VPN services and censorship circumvention services in Iran

On May 5, 2026, increased activity was identified in the advertising of internet services and censorship circumvention tools (VPN) across several Telegram channels, including اخبارفوری جنگ قیمت‌‌‌‌لحظه‌‌‌ای دلار طلا‌, اخبارفوری خبرفوری جنگ امریکا فوری, کانال هواداران استقلال, and اخبارفوری خبرفوری جنگ امریکا حمله.

The channels, some of which bear names indicating a focus on economic and security issues in Iran, have shifted their nature toward the promotion of "Anti-Filter" services. According to the posted advertisements, marketers promise "strong servers, high speed without disconnects" and offer round-the-clock technical support. According to the channel اخبارفوری جنگ قیمت‌‌‌‌لحظه‌‌‌ای دلار طلا‌, the service targets an audience seeking access to a "free internet" and emphasizes competitive prices for "149 GB" as part of a limited-time offer.

It is worth noting that the channels in question, which usually deal with complex political and economic content, have become an aggressive marketing channel for these technological services. The advertising copy uses emotional language, appealing to users who are "tired of middlemen charging exorbitant prices."

As of now, the sources have not provided information on the operators behind the linked bots (such as STARPOLL_bot), but the reported scale of exposure—amounting to approximately 45,316 cumulative views on these publications—indicates an extensive marketing effort that exploits the high demand for unrestricted browsing services in the country.