Category: Internet Shutdown

• The Economic Impact of Internet Shutdowns (November 12, 2020)
  

  One of the indicators we provide as part of our Internet Society Pulse platform is the economic cost of shutdowns. In our data, we rely on a tool developed with Netblocks.org, the Cost of Shutdown Tool (COST). The COST builds upon indicators from the World Bank, ITU, Eurostat and U.S. Census to estimate the economic […]

• Impact of Internet Shutdowns on Kashmiri Youth (July 31, 2020)
  

  The Kashmir Observer has documented the impact of long-lived Internet shutdowns on the young people in Kashmir. As is clear from our map of the frequency of shutdown events, India is a repeat offender where Internet shutdowns are concerned. The political unrest in the Kashmir region has been used to justify the long-lived shutdown of […]

• Holding Steady: How CDNs, IXPs, and Network Providers Help Keep us Online (July 13, 2020)
  

  This article was first published on the Internet Society blog. Although the COVID-19 pandemic is, unfortunately, far from over, the Internet continues to be resilient, supporting the additional demands that we have placed on it, including the rapid growth in online learning, work videoconferences, e-commerce, streaming video entertainment, and more. Because the Internet exists as a […]

• From Content Blocking to National Shutdowns: Understanding Internet Disruptions (December 18, 2019)
  

  In March 2019, in a move described in one news report as a “government-imposed Internet shutdown,” the president of Sri Lanka temporarily blocked Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Viber, and other services. In this case, limited access to a class of applications was inaccurately painted as a full-scale Internet shutdown. Unfortunately, this isn’t unusual. Media coverage and general discussion […]

• Social Media Crisis Drives Ongoing Decline In Global Internet Freedom (November 7, 2019)
  

  Global Internet freedom declined for the ninth consecutive year in 2019, largely as a result of social media increasingly being used by governments around the world as a conduit for mass surveillance and electoral manipulation

• Is the Internet Resilient Enough to Withstand Coronavirus? (February 28, 2019)
  

  It’s being called the world’s biggest work-from-home experiment. With concerns growing over the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus, schools and businesses around the world are implementing contingency plans that encourage distance learning and work from home. Usage of e-learning, messaging, and videoconferencing tools is also growing rapidly, placing additional load on these Internet-based applications and platforms and generating […]