Service blocking
YouTube, X (Twitter), Signal
Venezuelan ISPs have blocked access to X (formerly Twitter), Signal and YouTube as part of a broader pattern of digital censorship. X and Signal have been blocked in Venezuela since 8 August 2024, amidst protests against disputed election results announced by authorities. On 23 November 2024, YouTube was also blocked for approximately 5 hours 30 minutes. These measures align with Venezuela's history of digital censorship, where social media platforms are frequently restricted during politically sensitive periods.
- Total Duration 5 hours
Venezuela
- Population
- 28,516,896
Freedom House rates Internet freedom as Not Free
Local impact
The simultaneous blocking of YouTube, Signal and X (formerly Twitter) in November 2024 created a significant information vacuum in Venezuela, disrupting essential communication channels for citizens, journalists, and civil society organizations. This severely impaired the public’s ability to access real-time news, document events, and coordinate civic activities during a period of acute political sensitivity. The disruption was observed across multiple Internet Service Providers (ISPs), including the state-owned CANTV and major private operators, highlighting the centralized nature of digital censorship in the country. This multi-platform blockade underscores the heightened vulnerability of digital rights in Venezuela and demonstrates the strategic use of network interference to suppress the free flow of information during critical political transitions.
Related documentation
On 8 August 2024, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro ordered the suspension of X (Twitter) for an initial period of 10 days, citing the need to "preserve peace and social stability.". However, the block has continued indefinitely beyond the announced deadline. Meanwhile, YouTube was inaccessible for 5 hours 30 minutes on November 11, 2024 without any public or official order.
Other supporting information
On 23 November 2024, YouTube was blocked for 5 hours 30 minutes on at least 4 different ISPs as reported by VE sin Filtro, based on ad-hoc and OONI Measurements.
Concurrently, on 8 August 2024, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro ordered blocking X (formerly Twitter) in Venezuela for an initial period of 10 days that was extended without clarification, as reported by VE sin Filtro monitoring project of the local digital rights organization Conexión Segura y Libre (CSL). Later that day, the domain signal.org was also blocked, affecting the messaging application's operation.
Different ISPs implemented the block in different ways, but some of the affected domains are:
x.comapi.x.comapi.twitter.comabs.twimg.compbs.twimg.com
Social media
🚨Several ISPs in #Venezuela blocked @YouTube today for several hours.
— VE sin Filtro (@vesinfiltro) November 23, 2024
CANTV (largest and state-owned ISP), Movistar, Inter, and G-network are confirmed to have blocked it.
🛑 The block started in CANTV at 14:30 UTC, and was lifted after 17:00 UTC, however it still continues… pic.twitter.com/0B664mOOX8