Internet Shutdowns
Who Shuts Down the Internet the Most?
Based on 912 shutdowns we've tracked since 2018
-
423 -
160 -
73 -
37 -
18 -
17 -
17 -
14 -
11 -
10
- Africa
- Americas
- Asia
- Europe
- Oceania
Ongoing
12
ongoing shutdowns around the world
97
Internet shutdowns around the world since January 2025
15
countries have experienced a total or partial Internet shutdown since January 2025
Since January 2025, the world’s population has lost a total of
23,847 hours
of access to the Internet due to intentional disruptions.
Over the past 12 months, we estimate that
US $87,204,222
has been lost in combined GDP across all countries that have experienced Internet shutdowns
Shutdowns
June 2021
912 shutdowns
-
Past
National shutdown
The shutdown affected all Leased Lines and ADSL customers. The Ministry of Education announced the shutdown ahead of time, and state-owned operator Syrian Telecom issued a notice that Internet service will be cut from 31 May to 22 June 2021, between 04:00 to 08:30 local time (UTC+3), noting that this may be extended until 10:30. The Syrian government has unplugged the Internet every year during student exams since 2016, after exam questions began appearing on social media. Yet there is growing evidence that shutdowns are an ineffective way to prevent cheating, as questions still get leaked in spite of an Internet blackout.
Syria
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 0 minutes
-
Past
National shutdown
The shutdown affected all Leased Lines and ADSL customers. The Ministry of Education announced the shutdown ahead of time, and state-owned operator Syrian Telecom issued a notice that Internet service will be cut from 31 May to 22 June 2021, between 04:00 to 08:30 local time (UTC+3), noting that this may be extended until 10:30. The Syrian government has unplugged the Internet every year during student exams since 2016, after exam questions began appearing on social media. Yet there is growing evidence that shutdowns are an ineffective way to prevent cheating, as questions still get leaked in spite of an Internet blackout.
Syria
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 0 minutes
-
Past
National shutdown
The shutdown affected all Leased Lines and ADSL customers. The Ministry of Education announced the shutdown ahead of time, and state-owned operator Syrian Telecom issued a notice that Internet service will be cut from 31 May to 22 June 2021, between 04:00 to 08:30 local time (UTC+3), noting that this may be extended until 10:30. The Syrian government has unplugged the Internet every year during student exams since 2016, after exam questions began appearing on social media. Yet there is growing evidence that shutdowns are an ineffective way to prevent cheating, as questions still get leaked in spite of an Internet blackout.
Syria
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 0 minutes
-
Past
National shutdown
The shutdown affected all Leased Lines and ADSL customers. The Ministry of Education announced the shutdown ahead of time, and state-owned operator Syrian Telecom issued a notice that Internet service will be cut from 31 May to 22 June 2021, between 04:00 to 08:30 local time (UTC+3), noting that this may be extended until 10:30. The Syrian government has unplugged the Internet every year during student exams since 2016, after exam questions began appearing on social media. Yet there is growing evidence that shutdowns are an ineffective way to prevent cheating, as questions still get leaked in spite of an Internet blackout.
Syria
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 0 minutes
-
Past
Service blocking
Twitter
From June 4, 2021 to January 13, 2022, the Nigerian government officially banned Twitter. The ban occurred after Twitter deleted tweets made by the Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari. The ban was lifted in January 2022 after Twitter agreed to "establish an office in the country, pay taxes there, appoint a representative and 'act with a respectful acknowledgment of Nigerian laws and the national culture and history.'"
Nigeria
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 223 days
-
Past
National shutdown
The shutdown affected all Leased Lines and ADSL customers. The Ministry of Education announced the shutdown ahead of time, and state-owned operator Syrian Telecom issued a notice that Internet service will be cut from 31 May to 22 June 2021, between 04:00 to 08:30 local time (UTC+3), noting that this may be extended until 10:30. The Syrian government has unplugged the Internet every year during student exams since 2016, after exam questions began appearing on social media. Yet there is growing evidence that shutdowns are an ineffective way to prevent cheating, as questions still get leaked in spite of an Internet blackout.
Syria
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 0 minutes
May 2021
-
Past
National shutdown
The shutdown affected all Leased Lines and ADSL customers. The Ministry of Education announced the shutdown ahead of time, and state-owned operator Syrian Telecom issued a notice that Internet service will be cut from 31 May to 22 June 2021, between 04:00 to 08:30 local time (UTC+3), noting that this may be extended until 10:30. The Syrian government has unplugged the Internet every year during student exams since 2016, after exam questions began appearing on social media. Yet there is growing evidence that shutdowns are an ineffective way to prevent cheating, as questions still get leaked in spite of an Internet blackout.
Syria
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 0 minutes
-
Past
Regional shutdown
Gaza
Bombing in Gaza in May 2021 by the Israeli air force destroyed local Internet infrastructure and caused an large outage.
Palestine, State of
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 10 days, 4 hours
-
Past
Regional shutdown
in Jammu and Kashmir'
'Shopian district
India
- Start
- End
- Total Duration 0 minutes
April 2021
- Page 52 of 92.