- A new report indicated that 2024 was a record year for deliberate government-orchestrated internet blackouts. The reasons for these blackouts generally included protests and political conflict.
- Access Now stated that some countries may restrict internet access to suppress dissent.
- The group has gathered opposition to this practice since 2016 in a campaign called #KeepItOn.
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In 2024, the world experienced nearly 300 internet outages in 54 countries, according to a recent report from the nonprofit Access Now. The organization, which advocates for digital civil rights, determined that it was a record year for government-mandated internet shutdowns.
What is the purpose or effect of digital darkness?
The nonprofit contended that shutting down the internet amounts to silencing dissent during conflicts, protests and elections.
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Felicia Anthonio, the manager of Access Now’s #KeepItOn campaign, called the shutdowns a tool for collective punishment that leaves communities in digital darkness and conceals human rights abuses.
She also said the weaponization of the internet has led to a pattern of censorship that requires accountability.
What specific countries are involved?
Counties that shut down the internet sometime in 2024 include El Salvador, France, Malaysia and Thailand.
Access Now said the majority of blackouts came from four countries: India, Myanmar, Pakistan and Russia.
Those four accounted for 210 digital shutdowns.
Conflict drove the internet disruptions, with at least nine countries imposing a dozen shutdowns during protests and political instability in Africa alone.
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When did the campaign begin?
The #KeepItOn campaign began in 2016 to unite global organizations and end internet shutdowns.
[CRAIG NIGRELLI]
2024 WILL GO DOWN AS A RECORD YEAR, GLOBALLY, FOR GOVERNMENT-IMPOSED INTERNET SHUTDOWNS. ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT FROM NON-PROFIT ACCESS NOW WHICH SAYS IT FOCUSES ON DIGITAL CIVIL RIGHTS, THERE WERE NEARLY 300 OUTAGES ACROSS 54 COUNTRIES.
THE NON-PROFIT CONTENDS THAT SHUTTING DOWN THE INTERNET AMOUNTS TO SILENCING DISSENT DURING CONFLICTS, PROTESTS AND ELECTIONS. THE MANAGER OF ACCESS NOW’S **KEEPITON** CAMPAIGN, FELICIA ANTHONIO, CALLED THE SHUTDOWNS, QUOTE “ A TOOL FOR COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT, HURLING COMMUNITIES INTO DIGITAL DARKNESS AND CONCEALING GRAVE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES.”
SHE ALSO SAID THE WEAPONIZATION OF THE INTERNET HAS LED TO A PATTERN OF CENSORSHIP WITH A NEED FOR ACCOUNTABILITY.
COUNTRIES THAT SHUTDOWN THE INTERNET, AT SOME POINT IN 2024, INCLUDE EL SALVADOR, FRANCE, MALAYSIA AND THAILAND. IT WAS THEIR FIRST TIME MAKING THE LIST.
ACCESS NOW SAYS THE MAJORITY OF BLACKOUTS CAME FROM FOUR COUNTRIES : INDIA, MYANMAR, PAKISTAN AND RUSSIA. THOSE FOUR ACCOUNTED FOR 210 DIGITAL SHUTDOWNS. CONFLICT WAS THE MAIN FACTOR DRIVING THE INTERNET DISRUPTIONS, WITH AT LEAST NINE COUNTRIES IMPOSING A DOZEN SHUTDOWNS DURING PROTESTS AND POLITICAL INSTABILITY IN AFRICA ALONE.
THE KEEPITON CAMPAIGN ORGANIZES GLOBAL ORGANIZATIONS IN AN EFFORT TO END INTERNET SHUTDOWNS. THE EFFORT BEGAN, BACK IN 2016, AT A CONFERENCE IN SILICON VALLEY, CALIFORNIA.
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