UPDATED:September 12, 2023

Internet shutdown tracker

Undemocratic governments can disrupt their countries’ network connection and social media access as a means to silence the public in times of political unrest. The Internet Shutdown Tracker unmasks the countries guilty of taking these measures according to internet watchdog NetBlocks and other media and NGO reports. The study includes cases that occurred from 2015 onwards.

In partnership with

5,861,630,751

Total users deprived of internet access to date

Total countries that have disrupted access to date

Where has the internet been restricted?

China

There is no evidence of internet disruptions in means of censorship.

China

A least 4 times internet disruptions were recorded in the past.

Average Duration:

3136 d

China

Social media and/messaging apps have been disrupted at least 4 times in the past.

Average Duration:

3136 d

China

Social media/messaging apps that are currently restricted: Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Telegram, Whatsapp.

Regional statistics

We have sorted internet shutdowns (including both network connection disruptions and social media/messaging app disruptions) by region for easier viewing.

Africa

Africa is the second most intensive region by internet shutdowns. 8 out of 10 Africans have been hit by internet shutdowns since 2015.

Cases of disruptions since 2015: 113

Out of which due to:

Protests

Elections

Other political turmoil

Internet law

No evidence

No. of countries

% of the continent

37%

Any type of disruption in the past

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

63%

Currently restricting social media/messaging apps

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

11.1%

Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past

No. of countries

% of the continent

46.3%

Network connection disrupted in the past

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

48.1%

Affected people

No. of people

1,112,954,990

% of the continent

77.2%

Asia

Asia leads the world in internet shutdowns, with 9 out of 10 Asians having been affected since 2015. India and its administered Jammu and Kashmir account for the majority (more than 74%) of internet censorship cases in Asia.

Cases of disruptions since 2015: 591

Out of which due to:

Protests

196

Elections

Other political turmoil

352

Internet law

No evidence

No. of countries

% of the continent

34.7%

Any type of disruption in the past

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

65.3%

Currently restricting social media/messaging apps

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

32.7%

Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past

No. of countries

% of the continent

57.1%

Network connection disrupted in the past

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

38.8%

Affected people

No. of people

4,281,039,091

% of the continent

90.2%

Europe

Most European countries haven’t been hit by internet shutdowns since 2015. Russia accounts for 60%, while Belarus accounts for 27%.

Cases of disruptions since 2015: 15

Out of which due to:

Protests

Elections

Other political turmoil

Internet law

No evidence

No. of countries

% of the continent

90.9%

Any type of disruption in the past

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

9.1%

Currently restricting social media/messaging apps

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

4.5%

Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past

No. of countries

% of the continent

9.1%

Network connection disrupted in the past

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

4.5%

Affected people

No. of people

190,910,050

% of the continent

25.8%

North America

2 out of 23 North American countries have had internet shutdowns since 2015. Cuba accounts for 89% in the continent.

Cases of disruptions since 2015: 9

Out of which due to:

Protests

Elections

Other political turmoil

Internet law

No evidence

No. of countries

% of the continent

91.3%

Any type of disruption in the past

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

8.7%

Currently restricting social media/messaging apps

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past

No. of countries

% of the continent

4.3%

Network connection disrupted in the past

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

8.7%

Affected people

No. of people

11,258,797

% of the continent

1.9%

South America

40% of South American countries have imposed internet shutdowns since 2015. These shutdowns affected 60% of the region's population.

Cases of disruptions since 2015: 42

Out of which due to:

Protests

Elections

Other political turmoil

Internet law

No evidence

No. of countries

% of the continent

58.3%

Any type of disruption in the past

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

41.7%

Currently restricting social media/messaging apps

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past

No. of countries

% of the continent

33.3%

Network connection disrupted in the past

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

25%

Affected people

No. of people

265,467,823

% of the continent

60.6%

Oceania

Oceania is the only region in the world with no evidence of internet shutdowns since 2015.

Cases of disruptions since 2015: 0

Out of which due to:

Protests

Elections

Other political turmoil

Internet law

No evidence

No. of countries

% of the continent

100%

Any type of disruption in the past

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

Currently restricting social media/messaging apps

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past

No. of countries

% of the continent

Network connection disrupted in the past

No. of countries

Part of all continent countries

Affected people

No. of people

% of the continent

Find a country profile

Search for a country to find out if it has faced internet shutdowns

Regional ranking by disruptions: 12th in Asia

Cases of disruptions since 2015: 4

Out of which due to:

Protests

N/A

Elections

Other political turmoil

N/A

Internet law

Currently restricting social media platforms

Facebook

2009, July

Twitter

2009, July

Youtube

2009, July

Instagram

2016, September

2016, July

2017, September

Insights

More than 2/3 of all Asian countries have had limited access to the internet in the past for reasons ranging from total Western social media shutdowns to blocking YouTube because of leaked sexual footage involving local politicians.

African countries block access to social media the most (34 countries), especially amid political turmoil or elections. 1/3 of African countries have restricted access to internet services because of elections.

While South America doesn’t have many recorded cases of internet restrictions, Venezuela has blocked social media at least 18 times in 2019, every time acting president Juan Guaido was airing a speech online.

India remains the largest internet shutdown offender, with some of its internet blockages lasting for months in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.