Access Now says people in multiple conflict-affected and repressive environments are facing internet shutdowns with no clear end, leaving communities cut off from communications, information, and aid. The report highlights repeated and prolonged shutdowns from 2024 to 2026, including in parts of Myanmar and Ethiopia’s Tigray region, and says authorities are using network blackouts to control information, suppress dissent, and isolate populations during conflict and political crises.
Why it matters: This is a direct threat to information freedom and public safety, because internet shutdowns can block emergency communication, reporting, and access to basic services for entire populations. It matters to the public, rights groups, and policymakers because these outages are being normalized as a tool of repression and require sustained pressure, monitoring, and alternative connectivity support.
Zach Rosson
2026.10.20
100% relevant
This article establishes a broader tracked story around prolonged and effectively indefinite internet shutdowns as an ongoing censorship and information-freedom issue across multiple countries, rather than updating one single previously tracked event.
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