Governments around the world are increasingly using internet shutdowns to control information.
Internet Shutdowns Are a Growing Problem. Here's Why | Wave Episode 5
A new study found that of the nearly 850 shutdowns that have taken place over the past decade, 768 have occurred since 2016. The Indian government was the worst offender when it came to shutdowns, with 109 cases last year. Shutdowns are most common around elections and civil unrest.
“When access to the Internet is restricted or blocked, it not only impacts citizens’ daily activities, but it also impedes their right to freedom of speech and expression, as well as their right to peaceful assembly,” Kenneth Olmstead, senior advisor at the Internet Society, a nonprofit organization that advocates for open access to the Internet, told Lifewire in an email interview.
According to the report from Google and digital rights nonprofit Access Now, users are increasingly losing access to parts of the internet. In 2019 alone, there were 213 shutdowns, though the number dropped to 155 in 2020 during the pandemic. In the first half of 2021, there were 50 shutdowns in 21 countries.
