Growing trend of state-sponsored internet shutdowns

• UNESCO has raised concerns about the increasing trend of governments resorting to internet shutdowns to manage crises of political nature.

• Governments are increasingly cutting internet access during protests, elections and times of crisis, despite the central role online connectivity plays in democratic participation and the exercise of basic rights.

• Since the beginning of 2026, blanket internet shutdowns have been imposed in countries experiencing major protests or in the middle of electoral processes.

• UNESCO has reported a growing trend of state-sponsored internet shutdowns in recent years, with at least 300 internet shutdowns in over 54 countries over the last two years. 

• According to Access Now report, 2024 was the worst year on record since 2016.

• Access to information is an integral part of the universal right to freedom of expression.

What is internet shutdown?

• Internet shutdowns are measures taken by a government, or on behalf of a government, to intentionally disrupt access to, and the use of, information and communications systems online. 

• They include actions that limit the ability of a large number of people to use online communications tools, either by restricting internet connectivity at large or by obstructing the accessibility and usability of services that are necessary for interactive communications, such as social media and messaging services.

• Shutdowns often include complete blocks of internet connectivity or accessibility of the affected services. 

• Governments increasingly resort to throttling bandwidth or limiting mobile service to 2G, which, while nominally maintaining access, renders it extremely difficult to make meaningful use of the internet. 

• In particular, bandwidth throttling interferes with the ability to share and watch video footage and live streams. 

• Another intervention is to limit the availability of some websites and services, restricting access to certain communications channels while continuing to shut down access to the rest of the internet. 

• Some governments have also blocked the use of virtual private networks to prevent people from circumventing shutdown measures. 

• In some cases, shutdowns of entire telephone networks accompany internet shutdowns, leaving no channel of direct electronic communication.

Shutdowns during protests and elections

• Recent months have seen a series of high-profile internet shutdowns and digital restrictions imposed amid political unrest.

• In January 2026, authorities in Iran imposed a near-total nationwide blackout during renewed protests, sharply curtailing online communications. Connectivity monitors reported traffic falling to minimal levels, disrupting businesses and severely limiting the ability of citizens, journalists and civil society groups to share information.

• In Afghanistan, the Taliban ordered a nationwide shutdown in September-October 2025, further constraining humanitarian operations, journalism and access to education, particularly for women and girls.

• Elsewhere, governments have increasingly relied on targeted platform bans. In Nepal, authorities suspended access to 26 social media and messaging platforms in September 2025 amid political unrest.

• In Sri Lanka, a law adopted in 2024 grants broad powers to restrict online content, raising concerns about shrinking digital civic space.

• In Africa, election-related disruptions have remained a recurring feature.

• Internet connectivity was significantly disrupted in Cameroon during the October 2025 presidential election, while Tanzania imposed internet restrictions and partial shutdowns around its October 2025 polls, drawing criticism over a wider crackdown on civil freedoms.

Internet disruptions fuel misinformation

• UNESCO calls on governments to ensure that citizens exercise their democratic rights, more so in times of crisis, through the internet and other online platforms.

• Shutdowns can prevent hospitals from contacting doctors in emergencies, deprive voters of information about candidates, cut off small businesses from customers, and leave protesters unable to call for help during violent crackdowns.

• Internet disruptions also fuel misinformation. When journalists, media outlets and public authorities are cut off from digital channels, verified information becomes harder to access, creating space for rumors and unverified content to spread.

• UNESCO has consistently warned against disruptions of internet connectivity and calls on governments to implement policies that facilitate access rather than imposing  barriers to connectivity. 

• Shutdowns often affect millions beyond the situations they are meant to address, deepening digital divides and undermining social and economic progress.

• UNESCO underscores  that access to Information is an integral part of the universal right to freedom of expression and central to the realization of a broad range of human rights including the rights to education, to freedom of association and assembly, to participation in social, cultural and political life, notably. 

What is the scenario in India?

• As per Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, Police and Public Order are State subjects.

• The contribution of internet for the well-being of citizens has to be balanced with the misuse of social media platforms by anti-social elements which may require temporary internet shutdowns as per the Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024. 

• However, details regarding internet suspension orders issued by state government or Union Territories are not maintained centrally by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). 

• According to non-profit digital rights advocacy group Access Now, India enforced 84 internet shutdowns in 2024.