This study investigates how Iranian women are represented on social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube compared to their portrayal in state-controlled media, including national television and government-affiliated accounts. Following the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, Iranian women increasingly used digital platforms to express their identities, resist patriarchal restrictions, and advocate for equality, often through symbolic acts such as removing the hijab and participating in online campaigns like #WomenLifeFreedom. In contrast, the Islamic Republic intensified its propaganda, promoting traditional images of women as mothers and guardians of Islamic values, emphasizing modesty and the hijab. Using a qualitative methodology based on interviews with eight Iranian participants and content analysis of both social and state media, the study reveals a clear opposition between grassroots digital activism and the regime’s ideological framework.
The findings highlight that while the state seeks to control narratives and suppress dissent, the digital space provides Iranian women with a powerful platform to connect with both local and global audiences, overcoming censorship through tools like VPNs and multilingual messaging. Cultural, generational, and urban–rural divides influence the strategies of resistance, but across these differences, women’s online activism stands as a direct challenge to state propaganda. Despite facing severe challenges—such as restricted communication, blocked platforms, limited resources, and fear of legal repercussions—women continue to use social media to demand justice, freedom, and equality. This sharp contrast between public demands and government narratives underscores the transformative role of digital platforms in repressive societies and offers important insights into the evolving dynamics of women’s activism in Iran.
