In an interview with a Mehr reporter, Hamidreza Etedalmehr said the board of directors of the Internet Businesses Union had done nothing of note in the four years it had been given. He stated: Their actions did not result, even once, in the Complaints Commission being able to present its concerns to the board members at a meeting, so we concluded that the structure was wrong.
The first vice-chair of the Internet Businesses Union added: Throughout this period, more than 3,000 licences were issued for internet businesses, but we created no incentive for startups. There are 300,000 businesses of all sizes in the ecosystem, and we are certain that it includes 3,000 relatively large businesses.
He added: It is embarrassing to say that the Virtual Businesses Union moved premises four times during four years of operation because of financial problems and could not even pay its staff’s salaries, while a ministry of artificial intelligence is being established in our neighbouring country.
Etedalmehr stated: Those who opposed the way the union was operating were well-informed people, but they did not know how to raise the challenges ahead without offending anyone, which is why some colleagues were hurt by the comments.
The CEO of the Manzoomeh Negaran business group also said of separating the service and distribution segments of internet businesses: Some colleagues believe that separating these two segments would halve their union’s power, which is wrong. Although I do not endorse splitting the union into service and distribution segments, I consider it the only short-term solution under the current circumstances, because it appears that the union’s five board members cannot deal with every issue.
Etedalmehr continued: Therefore, if this union is divided into service and distribution segments, perhaps with 10 people something could be done to organise and develop the ecosystem. Separating the service and distribution segments appears to be the first and most readily available way to signal that the current number of union board members does not have the capacity to manage and develop 20 entirely different occupational categories.
The first vice-chair of the Internet Businesses Union stated: My proposal to all colleagues in the trade is to establish a digital economy chamber. If this chamber has 300,000 members, its voice will reach the authorities.
Saying that the structure of the Chamber of Guilds does not meet the ecosystem’s needs at all, he said: There is potential here that needs a budget allocated to it so that they can hire as many specialists, legal experts and facilitators as needed.
Etedalmehr stated: Another issue that has caused problems is that some people are constantly fighting Sianat and continually posting about it on Twitter; people who gained their identity from the union and fought Sianat were, in practice, trying to prevent domestic businesses on Instagram from being blocked.
He said: These people drew strength from members of the trade and acted to prevent Instagram from being blocked, whereas the question should be asked: what connection do they have with Instagram? It would have been better for this union to create an environment in which businesses operating on Instagram could have a lasting business and not turn into backpack vendors who move elsewhere when a social network is blocked, so that they cannot be traced. If things continue this way, a dark web will emerge in the country, in which case every kind of violation will take place there.
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