Myanmar, India, and Pakistan Among Top Offenders, Report Says
KARACHI:
The number of global internet shutdowns surged to a record high in 2024, as governments increasingly employed digital blackouts to suppress protests, dissent, and tighten control. A new report by Access Now reveals that Myanmar, India, and Pakistan were among the countries most responsible for this alarming rise in internet restrictions.
The #KeepItOn coalition, led by the New York-based digital rights organization, documented 296 internet shutdowns across 54 countries, surpassing the previous year’s tally of 283 shutdowns in 39 countries. This marks a 35% increase from 2022, which saw 40 countries affected.
Seven new countries were added to the list of first-time offenders, and as 2024 came to a close, 47 shutdowns were still active into 2025, with 35 lasting over a year—indicating their growing use as tools for political control.
While conflict remained the leading cause of shutdowns, the trend is no longer confined to war zones. India, which had dropped from the top position in 2023, imposed 84 shutdowns in 2024—the most by any democracy, according to Access Now.
Pakistan, with 21 shutdowns, experienced its highest total ever, ranking third globally, followed by Russia, which imposed 19 shutdowns, including seven in Ukraine. Myanmar, however, topped the list, with 85 shutdowns implemented by the military regime, four years after it seized power in a violent coup. In an unexpected development, France, a long-established European democracy, also imposed an internet shutdown.
Felicia Anthonio, Campaign Manager for #KeepItOn at Access Now, warned that we are entering an era of democratic recession, where freedom of expression is being increasingly restricted through digital tactics like shutdowns and censorship.
“These tactics are being used by far-right movements and Big Tech to silence critics and incite violence against marginalized communities,” Anthonio said. She also highlighted the rise in shutdowns related to protests, with a record 74 shutdowns in 24 countries in 2024—underscoring a worrying trend toward rising authoritarianism.
India, which positions itself as the world’s largest democracy, has implemented 855 internet shutdowns since 2016. Recently, a dozen rights groups wrote to the European Commission, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of using such tactics to curb dissent. “Shutdowns are incompatible with India’s global leadership ambitions, particularly in areas like AI, digital governance, and education,” said Namrata Maheshwari, Senior Policy Counsel at Access Now.
In Pakistan, where 77 internet shutdowns have been recorded since 2016, 2024 marked the country’s worst year yet. A report by Top10VPN.com found that Pakistan faced an estimated $1.62 billion in financial losses due to digital restrictions. Access Now’s Asia Pacific Policy Counsel, Shruti Narayan, condemned these disruptions, emphasizing that they signal an erosion of democratic values.
Since 2016, Access Now has tracked 1,754 internet shutdowns worldwide, describing the trend as a disconnection of people and communities from the world. The group notes that even a single shutdown is a violation of people’s rights to access information and connect with one another.
Platform Blocks Surge
Access Now also reported a sharp increase in platform blocks in 2024, with 71 instances across 35 countries. Restrictions on social media and messaging platforms, the group argues, are just as damaging as full internet shutdowns. X (formerly Twitter) was the most blocked platform globally for the first time, accompanied by significant increases in blocks of Signal and TikTok.
“Authorities often cite various justifications for these restrictions, but none of them are legitimate,” said Anthonio. “Blocking platforms amplifies misinformation, restricts people’s ability to verify information, and disrupts lives.”
