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.

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5,861,630,751
Total users deprived of internet access to date
77
Total countries that have disrupted access to date

Where has the internet been restricted?

China flag

China

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

China flag

China

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

Average Duration:

3136 d

China flag

China

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

Average Duration:

3136 d

China flag

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
56
Elections
28
Other political turmoil
28
Internet law
1
No evidence
No. of countries
20
% of the continent
37%
Any type of disruption in the past
No. of countries
34
Part of all continent countries
63%
Currently restricting social media/messaging apps
No. of countries
6
Part of all continent countries
11.1%
Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past
No. of countries
25
% of the continent
46.3%
Network connection disrupted in the past
No. of countries
26
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
31
Other political turmoil
352
Internet law
12
No evidence
No. of countries
17
% of the continent
34.7%
Any type of disruption in the past
No. of countries
32
Part of all continent countries
65.3%
Currently restricting social media/messaging apps
No. of countries
16
Part of all continent countries
32.7%
Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past
No. of countries
28
% of the continent
57.1%
Network connection disrupted in the past
No. of countries
19
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
6
Elections
3
Other political turmoil
4
Internet law
2
No evidence
No. of countries
40
% of the continent
90.9%
Any type of disruption in the past
No. of countries
4
Part of all continent countries
9.1%
Currently restricting social media/messaging apps
No. of countries
2
Part of all continent countries
4.5%
Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past
No. of countries
4
% of the continent
9.1%
Network connection disrupted in the past
No. of countries
2
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
9
Elections
0
Other political turmoil
0
Internet law
0
No evidence
No. of countries
21
% of the continent
91.3%
Any type of disruption in the past
No. of countries
2
Part of all continent countries
8.7%
Currently restricting social media/messaging apps
No. of countries
0
Part of all continent countries
0%
Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past
No. of countries
1
% of the continent
4.3%
Network connection disrupted in the past
No. of countries
2
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
7
Elections
0
Other political turmoil
31
Internet law
4
No evidence
No. of countries
7
% of the continent
58.3%
Any type of disruption in the past
No. of countries
5
Part of all continent countries
41.7%
Currently restricting social media/messaging apps
No. of countries
0
Part of all continent countries
0%
Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past
No. of countries
4
% of the continent
33.3%
Network connection disrupted in the past
No. of countries
3
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
0
Elections
0
Other political turmoil
0
Internet law
0
No evidence
No. of countries
14
% of the continent
100%
Any type of disruption in the past
No. of countries
0
Part of all continent countries
0%
Currently restricting social media/messaging apps
No. of countries
0
Part of all continent countries
0%
Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past
No. of countries
0
% of the continent
0%
Network connection disrupted in the past
No. of countries
0
Part of all continent countries
0%
Affected people
No. of people
0
% of the continent
0%

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:

1

Protests

N/A

Elections

3

Other political turmoil

N/A

Internet law

Currently restricting social media platforms

Facebook

2009, July

Twitter

2009, July

Youtube

2009, July

Instagram

2016, September

Telegram

2016, July

Whatsapp

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.

Recent news

Iran
Iran
September 8, 2023
Another internet disruption in Zahedan during weekly Friday protests.
Source
Gabon
Gabon
August 26, 2023
Following presidential, legislative and municipal elections, which were criticized by the opposition, the internet has been restricted nationwide.
Source
Iran
Iran
August 25, 2023
Another internet disruption in Zahedan during weekly Friday protests.
Source
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
August 23, 2023
On the day before the elections, access to several online platforms was restricted.
Source