UPDATED:March 24, 2025
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
5,981,994,996
Total users deprived of internet access to date
83
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:
3694 d
China
Social media and/messaging apps have been disrupted at least 4 times in the past.
Average Duration:
3694 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: 137
Out of which due to:
Protests
69
Elections
31
Other political turmoil
36
Internet law
1
No evidence
No. of countries
16
% of the continent
29.6%
Any type of disruption in the past
No. of countries
38
Part of all continent countries
70.4%
Currently restricting social media/messaging apps
No. of countries
4
Part of all continent countries
7.4%
Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past
No. of countries
27
% of the continent
50%
Network connection disrupted in the past
No. of countries
31
Part of all continent countries
57.4%
Affected people
No. of people
1,203,074,810
% of the continent
83.6%
Asia
Asia leads the world in internet shutdowns, with 13 out of 10 Asians having been affected since 2015. India and its administered Jammu and Kashmir account for the majority (more than 51%) of internet censorship cases in Asia.
Cases of disruptions since 2015: 652
Out of which due to:
Protests
227
Elections
34
Other political turmoil
377
Internet law
14
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
15
Part of all continent countries
30.6%
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
20
Part of all continent countries
40.8%
Affected people
No. of people
4,302,097,738
% of the continent
129.5%
Europe
Most European countries haven’t been hit by internet shutdowns since 2015. Russia accounts for 61%, while Belarus accounts for 22%.
Cases of disruptions since 2015: 18
Out of which due to:
Protests
6
Elections
3
Other political turmoil
6
Internet law
3
No evidence
No. of countries
39
% of the continent
88.6%
Any type of disruption in the past
No. of countries
5
Part of all continent countries
11.4%
Currently restricting social media/messaging apps
No. of countries
3
Part of all continent countries
6.8%
Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past
No. of countries
5
% of the continent
11.4%
Network connection disrupted in the past
No. of countries
2
Part of all continent countries
4.5%
Affected people
No. of people
193,746,839
% of the continent
26.2%
North America
3 out of 23 North American countries have had internet shutdowns since 2015. Cuba accounts for 73% in the continent.
Cases of disruptions since 2015: 11
Out of which due to:
Protests
9
Elections
0
Other political turmoil
2
Internet law
0
No evidence
No. of countries
20
% of the continent
87%
Any type of disruption in the past
No. of countries
3
Part of all continent countries
13%
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
2
% of the continent
8.7%
Network connection disrupted in the past
No. of countries
2
Part of all continent countries
8.7%
Affected people
No. of people
17,607,786
% of the continent
2.9%
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: 47
Out of which due to:
Protests
7
Elections
2
Other political turmoil
33
Internet law
5
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: 13th 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
2009, July
X (formerly Twitter)
2009, July
Youtube
2009, July
2016, September
Telegram
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 restricting YouTube because of leaked sexual footage involving local politicians.
38 countries in Africa have experienced some type of internet disruption in the past, especially amid political turmoil or elections. 1/2 of African countries have disrupted access to internet services because of elections.
While South America doesn’t have many recorded cases of internet restrictions, Venezuela has disrupted social media at least 31 times in 2019. It happened every time acting president Juan Guaido was airing a speech online.
India remains the largest internet shutdown offender, with some of its internet disruptions lasting for months in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.
Recent news
Turkey
March 19, 2025
Turkey has restricted access to multiple social media platforms including X, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok; the incident comes as Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and dozens of others are detained in events described by the opposition as a "coup"
Source
Albania
March 13, 2025
Albanian authorities will block access to the video-sharing platform for one year. Plans for the ban were originally announced in December after a fatal stabbing involving a child.
Source
Congo DR
February 3, 2025
Metrics show the Google Play Store is now restricted in DR Congo in an apparent bid to stop users downloading VPN apps to bypass restrictions targeting X and TikTok; the incident comes amid unrest, the burning of embassies, and a rebel occupation in the east #RDC
SourceCongo DR
January 27, 2025
Metrics show an ongoing disruption to connectivity at the Goma internet exchange in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo; the incident comes amidst a major military escalation with neighboring Rwanda as authorities present measures to "counter Rwandan propaganda"
Source