of the many ways Iran's government has earned these titles. Controlling the Internet: As more citizens use the Internet as a source for news and political debate, the government has responded by: Monitoring and filtering Internet content: Iran routinely blocks access to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social networking sites, blog platforms, photo or video-exchange websites, and other sites related to politics and human rights. Recent reports indicate that Iran has blocked over 5 million websites, to include frequently accessed sites such as Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Skype, stifling the ability for millions to interact with those inside and outside of Iran. Limiting Access: Through a 2006 law, Iranians have limited access to broadband Internet, and internet speeds are further slowed during  times for heightened public discourse, to include elections, planned protests, or other major national events that might lead to public assembly. Suspending Access to the Internet: During the past year, the government has announced its intention to create a "National Intranet" to better control and monitor the  flow of information. To prevent Iranian citizens from accessing content outside the country, Iran took the draconian step of blocking the most common form of secure connection (SSL)  used by millions of web services and businesses -- preventing an estimated 30 million Iranians from using e-mail or Skype to connect to the outside world. Creating a Culture of Fear: Through threatening  tactics and harsh laws, Iran's government has created a culture of fear among Internet users that causes them to self-censor