Bill to restrict Internet in Iran could threaten pandemic-era Instagram commerce boom

Blocking Instagram “will be detrimental to the whole economy and for me personally,” said Mahshid, 38, a former English teacher, who, like all other Iranians interviewed for this story, spoke on the condition that only his first name be used. “I have a 4-year-old daughter and live with my 75-year-old mother, so I cannot risk going out in this pandemic a lot. We get a lot of our needs through this platform,” from doctors to teachers to household goods, he said.