The emergence of the Internet drew reservations from the Haredi rabbinical leadership. This medium exposes users to content that is deemed unacceptable and as such is considered harmful and even seen as a threat to the continued existence of Haredi society. With the development of cellular technology, and in particular in the age of smartphones, the Haredi sector has intensified its fight against Internet use. The widespread approach today among Haredi rabbinical leaders is that exposure to the Internet is prohibited. However, the prohibition is not absolute, as there are cases in which Internet use, for example for purposes of making a living, is permitted. However, it must first be authorized by a rabbi and on condition it is done through content filtering designed for this specific purpose.

There are nonetheless several Haredi websites, among which one of the most prominent is “In Haredi Rooms.” As expected these sites have been met , with opposition by the rabbinical leadership, which even boycotted their use  but to no avail. Haredi websites have “survived” the attack and continue to operate to this very day.

During the course we will examine the nature of the threat posed by the Internet in the eyes of the Haredim, and learn about the various and diverse ways in which they try to manage the struggle against its use. Within this context we will read several texts from Haredi media, brochures, books and posters, which demonstrate the different ways they approach the struggle. We will also learn about the methods of operation of Haredi entities, like the Out-Net organization, which provides Internet disconnection services for computers or blocks access to unwanted sites. We will look at the unique characteristics of Haredi websites that operate despite the strong opposition and will examine how this is possible. Special attention will be given to the comparison between the attitude of the Haredi rabbinical leadership to the Internet and its parallel attitude to other media outlets, among them, newspapers, radio and television. We will also compare the fervent policy formulated in the Haredi community regarding the prohibition on Internet use with the parallel policy that is widespread in this matter in religions Zionist circles.