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UPDATED:May 8, 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.

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6,224,105,951
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: 725
Out of which due to:
Protests
242
Elections
36
Other political turmoil
429
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
4,440,608,495
% 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

Facebook

2009, July

X (formerly 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 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
India
April 17, 2026
The Government of Assam has ordered the immediate suspension of mobile internet and data services in Chirang and Kokrajhar districts following a deterioration in the law and order situation triggered by violent clashes in the region.
Source
India
India
April 7, 2026
Government banned internet and mobile data services in response to portests and a bomb to stop the spread of misinformation and false rumours.
Source
Iran
Iran
March 18, 2026
Roughly four hours after the first strikes hit Iran, the country was again plunged into a full internet blackout. The incident is now the longest recorded shutdown in Iran's history, surpassing the blackout imposed during protests in January.
Source
Congo
Congo
March 15, 2026
Internet connectivity has been restored in the Congo Republic after a 2.5-day digital shutdown spanning election day and vote counting, as authorities announce President Denis Sassou ​Nguesso, who first took power in 1979, has been reelected for a fifth term with 95%.
Source