Government-forced internet disruptions hit record high
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Last year was the worst on record for government-imposed internet shutdowns, with at least 296 outages across 54 countries, according to a new report from Access Now.
Why it matters: Governments are increasingly shutting down the internet to silence dissenting voices during conflicts, protests and elections.
What they're saying: "Authorities and warring parties wielded an unprecedented number of internet shutdowns as a weapon of war and a tool for collective punishment — hurling communities into digital darkness, and concealing grave human rights abuses," Felicia Anthonio, manager of Access Now's #KeepItOn campaign, said in a statement.
- "As internet access becomes consistently weaponized, restricted, and precarious, we are seeing pervasive patterns of crushing censorship and an urgent need for greater accountability."
By the numbers: Seven countries joined the first-time offenders list, including El Salvador, France, Malaysia and Thailand.
- For the first time since 2018, Myanmar overtook India as the worst offender, imposing 85 shutdowns—one more than India.
- The majority of internet shutdowns came from four countries: India, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Russia, which accounted for a combined 210 shutdowns, or more than 70% of the global total.
Between the lines: Conflict was the main trigger for internet disruptions, accounting for 103 of the documented shutdowns across 11 countries: Ethiopia, Bahrain, Chad, India, Israel, Myanmar, Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, Sudan, and Ukraine.
- Protests and elections were also behind a significant number of shutdowns.
Go deeper: Internet blackouts skyrocket amid global political unrest
