Internet Shutdowns
Who Shuts Down the Internet the Most?
Based on 908 shutdowns we've tracked since 2018
-
421 -
160 -
73 -
37 -
18 -
17 -
16 -
14 -
11 -
10
- Africa
- Americas
- Asia
- Europe
- Oceania
Ongoing
10
ongoing shutdowns around the world
95
Internet shutdowns around the world since December 2024
14
countries have experienced a total or partial Internet shutdown since December 2024
Since December 2024, the world’s population has lost a total of
20,520 hours
of access to the Internet due to intentional disruptions.
Over the past 12 months, we estimate that
US $74,192,619
has been lost in combined GDP across all countries that have experienced Internet shutdowns
Shutdowns
Shutdowns for Iraq
May 2024
160 shutdowns
-
Past
National shutdown
Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of 27 May 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown is the third this week and follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 19 May 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days in May and June as part of its efforts to prevent cheating. In an open letter to the Prime Minister of Iraq, the #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams. The letter notes the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on the country, and their violation of human rights. Iraq ordered more than 40 Internet shutdowns last year, most of which were related to exams.
Iraq
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 2 hours
-
Past
National shutdown
Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of 25 May 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown is the third this week and follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 19 May 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days in May and June as part of its efforts to prevent cheating. In an open letter to the Prime Minister of Iraq, the #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams. The letter notes the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on the country, and their violation of human rights. Iraq ordered more than 40 Internet shutdowns last year, most of which were related to exams.
Iraq
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 2 hours
-
Past
National shutdown
Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of 23 May 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown is the second this week and follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 19 May 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days in May and June as part of its efforts to prevent cheating. In an open letter to the Prime Minister of Iraq, the #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams. The letter notes the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on the country, and their violation of human rights. Iraq ordered more than 40 Internet shutdowns last year, most of which were related to exams.
Iraq
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 2 hours
-
Past
National shutdown
Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended on 21 May 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 19 May 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days in May and June as part of its efforts to prevent cheating. In an open letter to the Prime Minister of Iraq, the #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams. The letter notes the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on the country, and their violation of human rights. Iraq ordered more than 40 Internet shutdowns last year, most of which were related to exams.
Iraq
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 2 hours
September 2023
-
Past
National shutdown
The government of Iraq is imposing daily Internet shutdowns during the second stage of middle/lower secondary school exams as part of its efforts to reduce cheating. The 3-hour shutdowns affect everyone in Iraq, except those in the Kurdistan region which had its own shutdowns as reported here. As we have repeatedly written about on Pulse, Internet shutdowns cause great harm to a country’s economy and society and are in our opinion NOT the appropriate mechanism to cope with potential exam cheating. It is the 42nd Internet shutdown event in Iraq in 2023.
Iraq
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 3 hours
-
Past
National shutdown
The government of Iraq is imposing daily Internet shutdowns during the second stage of middle/lower secondary school exams as part of its efforts to reduce cheating. The 3-hour shutdowns affect everyone in Iraq, except those in the Kurdistan region which had its own shutdowns as reported here. As we have repeatedly written about on Pulse, Internet shutdowns cause great harm to a country’s economy and society and are in our opinion NOT the appropriate mechanism to cope with potential exam cheating. It is the 42nd Internet shutdown event in Iraq in 2023.
Iraq
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 3 hours
-
Past
National shutdown
The government of Iraq is imposing daily Internet shutdowns during the second stage of middle/lower secondary school exams as part of its efforts to reduce cheating. The 3-hour shutdowns affect everyone in Iraq, except those in the Kurdistan region which had its own shutdowns as reported here. As we have repeatedly written about on Pulse, Internet shutdowns cause great harm to a country’s economy and society and are in our opinion NOT the appropriate mechanism to cope with potential exam cheating. It is the 41st Internet shutdown event in Iraq in 2023.
Iraq
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 3 hours
-
Past
National shutdown
The government of Iraq is imposing daily Internet shutdowns during the second stage of middle/lower secondary school exams as part of its efforts to reduce cheating on 2 3 September 2023. The 3-hour shutdowns affect everyone in Iraq, except those in the Kurdistan region which had its own shutdowns as reported here. As we have repeatedly written about on Pulse, Internet shutdowns cause great harm to a country’s economy and society and are in our opinion NOT the appropriate mechanism to cope with potential exam cheating.
Iraq
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 3 hours
-
Past
National shutdown
The government of Iraq is imposing daily Internet shutdowns during the second stage of middle/lower secondary school exams as part of its efforts to reduce cheating on 21 September 2023. The 3-hour shutdowns affect everyone in Iraq, except those in the Kurdistan region which had its own shutdowns as reported here. As we have repeatedly written about on Pulse, Internet shutdowns cause great harm to a country’s economy and society and are in our opinion NOT the appropriate mechanism to cope with potential exam cheating.
Iraq
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 3 hours
-
Past
National shutdown
The people of Iraq have experienced the third 3-hour Internet shutdown this week on 19 September 2023 as per local authorities strategy to impose daily Internet shutdowns during second stage of middle/lower secondary school exams to reduce chetaing. The shutdowns affect everyone in Iraq, except those living in the Kurdistan region which has its own shutdowns as reported here. This is the 40th Internet shutdown in Iraq in 2023. As we have repeatedly written about here on Pulse, Internet shutdowns cause great harm to a country’s economy and society and are in our opinion NOT the appropriate mechanism to cope with potential exam cheating.
Iraq
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 3 hours
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