Internet Shutdowns
Who Shuts Down the Internet the Most?
Based on 923 shutdowns we've tracked since 2018
-
432 -
160 -
73 -
37 -
18 -
17 -
17 -
14 -
11 -
10
- Africa
- Americas
- Asia
- Europe
- Oceania
Ongoing
13
ongoing shutdowns around the world
103
Internet shutdowns around the world since February 2025
14
countries have experienced a total or partial Internet shutdown since February 2025
Since February 2025, the world’s population has lost a total of
17,432 hours
of access to the Internet due to intentional disruptions.
Over the past 12 months, we estimate that
US $147,319,712
has been lost in combined GDP across all countries that have experienced Internet shutdowns
Shutdowns
July 2024
923 shutdowns
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Past
National shutdown
Mobile Data
After President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani won re-election for a second term, protests erupted across Mauritania. While we have not yet seen an official statement requiring networks to shutdown, data shows that mobile Internet networks were disrupted beginning in the early hours of 2 July 2024. Media reports and commentary on social media all indicate various degrees of a loss of connectivity. This would unfortunately not be the first time the current government has shut down the Internet amidst protests. Back in June 2023, mobile Internet was shut down for most of a week during protests against the government. Internet services returned to normal on 24 July.
Mauritania
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 22 days
-
Past
National shutdown
Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of 1 July 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 7 June 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days 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 and 16 this year, most of which were related to exams.
Iraq
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 2 hours
June 2024
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Past
National shutdown
Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of 30 June 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 7 June 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days 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 and 16 this 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 29 June 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 7 June 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days 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 and 16 this 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 27 June 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 7 June 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days 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 and 16 this 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 26 June 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 7 June 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days 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 and 15 this year, most of which were related to exams.
Iraq
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 2 hours
-
Past
National shutdown
Although the Communications Authority of Kenya issued a statement that they do not intend to shutdown access to the Internet in reaction to expected protests the next day against the government’s plan to increase taxes, an outage was detected.
Kenya
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 8 hours
-
Past
National shutdown
Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of 24 June 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 7 June 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days 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 and 14 this 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 June 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 7 June 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days 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 and 14 this year, most of which were related to exams.
Iraq
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 2 hours
-
Past
Regional shutdown
Balasore
Local authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended for two days in the Balasore municipality of Odisha starting on Tuesday, 18 June, as part of an imposed curfew following community violence. Authorities explained the order was given to "prevent the circulation of inflammatory and motivated messages on social media and disturb the public order in Balasore municipality areas; the prohibition on social media usage has been enforced." According to reports, Internet services were partially restored on leased lines at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 20 June, but not mobile data services. All Internet services were restored by 24 June.
India
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 6 days
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