Communications of the ACM
Governments Intentionally Shut Down Internet 182 Times Across 34 Countries in 2021: Report
The Internet Society's Hannah Kreitem noted that the current global pandemic has seen many government, health, and commercial services move online, further reinforcing how important reliable and stable Internet access is for everyone and making the conseq
Credit: The Record
Dozens of repressive governments intentionally shut down their country's Internet as a way to stop protests or stifle dissent in 2021, according to a new report from Access Now, a nonprofit tracking Internet access globally.
According to their data, authorities deliberately shut down the Internet at least 182 times across 34 countries last year, both of which were increases on the figures seen in 2020.
Authorities in Burkina Faso, Cuba, Chad, Eswatini, Iran, Jordan, Myanmar, Niger, Pakistan, Sudan, and more shut down the Internet in response to protest movements, while Internet shut downs in the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia's Tigray region were instituted during military conflicts.
Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Iran, Niger, Uganda, and Zambia shut down the Internet during elections, according to Access Now, which added that Benin, Iraq, and Gambia shut down their Internet during "key national events" like school exams.
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