UPDATED:August 7, 2026
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
6,224,426,631
Total users deprived of internet access to date
85
Total countries that have disrupted access to date
Where has the internet been restricted?
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: 159
Out of which due to:
Protests
71
Elections
44
Other political turmoil
43
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
9
Part of all continent countries
16.7%
Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past
No. of countries
28
% of the continent
51.9%
Network connection disrupted in the past
No. of countries
32
Part of all continent countries
59.3%
Affected people
No. of people
1,307,213,098
% of the continent
83.7%
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 70%) of internet censorship cases in Asia.
Cases of disruptions since 2015: 744
Out of which due to:
Protests
249
Elections
36
Other political turmoil
441
Internet law
18
No evidence
No. of countries
16
% of the continent
32.7%
Any type of disruption in the past
No. of countries
33
Part of all continent countries
67.3%
Currently restricting social media/messaging apps
No. of countries
17
Part of all continent countries
34.7%
Social media/messaging apps disrupted in the past
No. of countries
29
% of the continent
59.2%
Network connection disrupted in the past
No. of countries
20
Part of all continent countries
40.8%
Affected people
No. of people
4,440,929,175
% of the continent
91.4%
Europe
Most European countries haven’t been hit by internet shutdowns since 2015. Russia accounts for 65%, while Belarus accounts for 20%.
Cases of disruptions since 2015: 20
Out of which due to:
Protests
6
Elections
3
Other political turmoil
6
Internet law
5
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
195,597,886
% of the continent
26.4%
North America
4 out of 23 North American countries have had internet shutdowns since 2015. Cuba accounts for 62% in the continent.
Cases of disruptions since 2015: 13
Out of which due to:
Protests
11
Elections
0
Other political turmoil
2
Internet law
0
No evidence
No. of countries
19
% of the continent
82.6%
Any type of disruption in the past
No. of countries
4
Part of all continent countries
17.4%
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
3
Part of all continent countries
13%
Affected people
No. of people
17,508,267
% of the continent
2.8%
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
263,178,205
% of the continent
59.9%
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: 14th 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
India
July 24, 2026
Bihar Police and district administration are on high alert after recent incidents of violence and unrest in different parts of the state. To avoid any further disturbance, the Home Department has taken preventive measures in Muzaffarpur. Based on the recommendation of the Muzaffarpur district administration, the state government has ordered a temporary suspension of internet services in the Town-1 and Town-2 police subdivision areas.
SourceIndia
July 24, 2026
In exercise of the power conferred by clause (b) of sub-section (2) of section 20 of The Telecommunication Act, 2023 read with clause (b) of sub-rule 1 of Rule 2 and sub-rule 1 of Rule 3 of The Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024, the Union Home Secretary, being satisfied that, in the interest of public safety and averting public emergency, it is necessary and expedient so to do in the interest of public order and for preventing incitement to the commission of any offence, hereby direct to suspend the mobile internet services (all technologies) with effect from 0000 Hrs to 1200 Hrs on 24th July, 2026 at and around a radius of 1.5 Kms of Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.
SourceIndia
July 22, 2026
Mobile internet services were repeatedly suspended around Jantar Mantar during protests over alleged NEET irregularities. Shutdown orders were issued between July 17 and 23, prompting SFLC.in to challenge them in the Delhi High Court as arbitrary, disproportionate and unconstitutional. The PIL also seeks greater transparency and mandatory publication of future shutdown orders.
SourceIndia
July 20, 2026
Mobile internet services were repeatedly suspended around Jantar Mantar during protests over alleged NEET irregularities. Shutdown orders were issued between July 17 and 23, prompting SFLC.in to challenge them in the Delhi High Court as arbitrary, disproportionate and unconstitutional. The PIL also seeks greater transparency and mandatory publication of future shutdown orders.
Source