Latest news with #FeliciaAnthonio
The Guardian
09-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Internet shutdowns at record high in Africa as access ‘weaponised'
Digital blackouts reached a record high in 2024 in Africa as more governments sought to keep millions of citizens off the internet than in any other period over the last decade. A report released by the internet rights group Access Now and #KeepItOn, a coalition of hundreds of civil society organisations worldwide, found there were 21 shutdowns in 15 African countries, surpassing the existing record of 19 shutdowns in 2020 and 2021. Authorities in Comoros, Guinea-Bissau and Mauritius joined repeat offenders such as Burundi, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea and Kenya. Guinea, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania were also on the list. But perpetrators also included militias and other non-state actors. Telecommunication and internet service providers who shut services based on government orders are also complicit in violating people's rights, said Felicia Anthonio, the #KeepItOn campaign manager at Access Now, citing the UN guiding principles on business and human rights. The details showed that most of the shutdowns were imposed as a response to conflicts, protests and political instability. There were also restrictions during elections. The trend was replicated across the world with more internet shutdowns and in more countries: 296 shutdowns across 54 countries, compared with 283 shutdowns in 39 countries the previous year. Access Now said the figures were the worst since it started keeping records in 2016 and that the rise reflected 'a world where internet access is consistently weaponised, restricted, and precarious'. 'Behind each of the 1,754 shutdowns since 2016 is a story of people and communities cut off from the world and each other, often during political upheaval, unrest, violence and war,' the report said. At least five shutdowns in Africa had been imposed for more than a year by the end of 2024, according to Access Now. As of early 2025, the social network Meta was still restricted in Uganda, despite authorities engaging with its representatives. On the Equatorial Guinean island of Annobon, internet and cell services have been cut off since an August 2024 protest over environmental concerns and isolation from the rest of the country. The increase in shutdowns led the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights to pass a landmark resolution in March 2024 to help reverse the trend. Sign up to The Long Wave Nesrine Malik and Jason Okundaye deliver your weekly dose of Black life and culture from around the world after newsletter promotion But the regression had continued, said Anthonio. 'It's rather unfortunate we saw more election-related shutdowns in Africa and other places in 2024 despite the adoption of the ACHPR resolution last year,' she said. 'Despite this, the resolution is a positive step as it has served as a vital resource and reference for civil society's advocacy against rights-harming shutdowns. It is difficult for us to tell if the resolution is yielding results already, but we did see authorities in countries like Mauritius and South Sudan [in January 2025] backtrack or reverse shutdown orders.'
Express Tribune
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Internet blackouts hit record high
The world witnessed a record number of internet shutdowns last year, as governments increasingly leaned on digital blackouts to suppress protests, dissent, and tighten control. A new report by Access Now names Myanmar, India, and Pakistan among the top offenders in 2024, highlighting the growing trend of restricting online discourse in these countries. The #KeepItOn coalition, led by the New York-based digital rights group, documented 296 internet shutdowns across 54 countries. This surpassed the previous year's total of 283 shutdowns in 39 countries, marking a 35% increase compared to 2022, when 40 countries were affected. Seven nations, the advocacy group's report said, were added to the list of first-time offenders. As 2024 ended, 47 shutdowns remained in effect into 2025, with 35 lasting over a yeara clear sign of their use as a tool of political control. While conflict continued to be the leading cause of internet shutdowns for the second consecutive year, the trend was not confined to warzones. India, which dropped from the top spot in 2023, imposed no fewer than 84 shutdowns in 2024 — the highest of any democracy, according to Access Now. Pakistan, with 21 shutdowns - the highest total ever for the country - ranked third, followed by Russia, which imposed 19 shutdowns, including seven in Ukraine. Myanmar topped the list, with the military regime implementing 85 shutdowns. This comes as the country's population continues to resist an increasingly oppressive dictatorship, four years after the junta seized power in a violent coup. To civil society's surprise, France, a long-established European democracy, also imposed an internet shutdown. Commenting on the trends, Felicia Anthonio, #KeepItOn Campaign Manager at Access Now, cautioned that we are entering an era of democratic recession, where freedom of expression is increasingly restricted through tactics like internet shutdowns and censorship. She also highlighted how these tactics are being used by far-right political movements and Big Tech to incite violence against marginalized communities and silence critics. "The ruling powers' disdain for people's voices and movements is marked clearly by an astounding 74 protest-related shutdowns affecting 24 countries in 2024. This is the highest number of shutdowns for this trigger we have ever seen in a single year, and it underscores a frightening trend towards rising authoritarianism and backsliding democracy," she told the Express Tribune. While India positions itself as the world's largest democracy, it has recorded 855 internet shutdowns since 2016. Last month, a dozen rights groups wrote to the European Commission, accusing Narendra Modi's government of using various tactics to tighten control and stifle dissent over the past decade. "Shutdowns are incompatible with India's global leadership ambitions, whether on AI, digital governance, or skilling," said Namrata Maheshwari, Senior Policy Counsel at Access Now. No other democracy, she added, cuts people off from connectivity year after year without oversight or accountability. "We urge the authorities to repeal rights-violating laws and make 2025 a shutdown-free year for all people in India." Pakistan, meanwhile, has enforced 77 internet shutdowns since 2016, according to data from Access Now, with 2024 marking its worst year yet. A report by an independent VPN reviewer, found that the countryhome to more than 240 million peoplewas the worst affected by internet disruptions last year, suffering an estimated $1.62 billion in financial losses due to various digital restrictions. The advocacy group's Asia Pacific Policy Counsel, Shruti Narayan, commented on the shutdowns imposed in 2024, stating that Pakistan had enacted the highest number of internet shutdowns in its history, which highlighted the ongoing erosion of democratic values. She called for an end to the obstruction of people's rights, whether through mobile internet shutdowns, VPN blocking, or efforts to impose a firewall on the country's internet gateways. Since 2016, Access Now has documented 1,754 internet shutdowns worldwide, describing the trend as a story of people and communities forcibly disconnected from the worldand each other. "Their stories make it clear: even one shutdown is one too many," the group states in its annual report. The leading triggers, according to the digital advocacy group, were protests (74 shutdowns), exams (16 shutdowns), and elections (12 shutdowns)all instances where restricting access to information carries serious and far-reaching consequences. Platform blocks According to Access Now, 2024 set a new record for platform blocks, with 71 instances across 35 countries. These restrictions on social media and messaging services, the group warned, are just as damaging as full internet shutdowns. "Authorities often use them to control information flows or target specific groups," the report stated. Notably, X was the most blocked platform globally for the first time, a shift that coincides with the platform's decline in content governance. "Signal and TikTok also saw sharp increases in blocks, alongside X, marking the sharpest percentage rise from the previous year," the report concluded. Criticizing the justifications often cited for disrupting access to essential communication platforms, Access Now's Felicia Anthonio said: "Governments tend to cite a wide range of justifications to block access, but none of these excuses are legitimate. Authorities need to question whether shutdowns are necessary and the least restrictive measure available to address the issue at hand. The answer is clear: no, they are not." Anthonio emphasized that Access Now's monitoring has repeatedly shown that blocking platforms does more harm than good. "Blocking platforms amplifies misinformation, restricts people's ability to verify information, and disrupts lives," she explained.
Express Tribune
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Internet shutdowns hit record high in 2024
The world witnessed a record number of internet shutdowns last year, as governments increasingly leaned on digital blackouts to suppress protests, dissent, and tighten control. A new report by Access Now names Myanmar, India, and Pakistan among the top offenders in 2024, highlighting the growing trend of restricting online discourse in these countries. The #KeepItOn coalition, led by the New York-based digital rights group, documented 296 internet shutdowns across 54 countries. This surpassed the previous year's total of 283 shutdowns in 39 countries, marking a 35% increase compared to 2022, when 40 countries were affected. Seven nations, the advocacy group's report said, were added to the list of first-time offenders. As 2024 ended, 47 shutdowns remained in effect into 2025, with 35 lasting over a year—a clear sign of their use as a tool of political control. While conflict continued to be the leading cause of internet shutdowns for the second consecutive year, the trend was not confined to warzones. India, which dropped from the top spot in 2023, imposed no fewer than 84 shutdowns in 2024 — the highest of any democracy, according to Access Now. Pakistan, with 21 shutdowns — the highest total ever for the country — ranked third, followed by Russia, which imposed 19 shutdowns, including seven in Ukraine. Myanmar topped the list, with the military regime implementing 85 shutdowns. This comes as the country's population continues to resist an increasingly oppressive dictatorship, four years after the junta seized power in a violent coup. To civil society's surprise, France, a long-established European democracy, also imposed an internet shutdown. Commenting on the trends, Felicia Anthonio, #KeepItOn Campaign Manager at Access Now, cautioned that we are entering an era of democratic recession, where freedom of expression is increasingly restricted through tactics like internet shutdowns and censorship. She also highlighted how these tactics are being used by far-right political movements and Big Tech to incite violence against marginalized communities and silence critics. 'The ruling powers' disdain for people's voices and movements is marked clearly by an astounding 74 protest-related shutdowns affecting 24 countries in 2024. This is the highest number of shutdowns for this trigger we have ever seen in a single year, and it underscores a frightening trend towards rising authoritarianism and backsliding democracy,' she told the Express Tribune. While India positions itself as the world's largest democracy, it has recorded 855 internet shutdowns since 2016. Last month, a dozen rights groups wrote to the European Commission, accusing Narendra Modi's government of using various tactics to tighten control and stifle dissent over the past decade. 'Shutdowns are incompatible with India's global leadership ambitions, whether on AI, digital governance, or skilling,' said Namrata Maheshwari, Senior Policy Counsel at Access Now. No other democracy, she added, cuts people off from connectivity year after year without oversight or accountability. 'We urge the authorities to repeal rights-violating laws and make 2025 a shutdown-free year for all people in India.' Pakistan, meanwhile, has enforced 77 internet shutdowns over the past nine years, according to Access Now, with 2024 its worst year yet. A report by an independent VPN reviewer, found that the country—home to more than 240 million people—was the worst affected by internet disruptions last year, suffering an estimated $1.62 billion in financial losses due to various digital restrictions. Commenting on the trend, Access Now's Asia Pacific Policy Counsel, Shruti Narayan, called for an end to the obstruction of people's rights, whether through mobile internet shutdowns, VPN blocking, or efforts to impose a firewall on the country's internet gateways. Since 2016, Access Now has documented 1,754 internet shutdowns worldwide. The group described the trend as a story of people and communities forcibly disconnected from the world—and each other. 'Their stories make it clear: even one shutdown is one too many,' the group states in its annual report. The leading triggers, according to the digital advocacy group, were protests (74 shutdowns), exams (16 shutdowns), and elections (12 shutdowns)—all instances where restricting access to information carries serious and far-reaching consequences. Platform blocks According to Access Now, 2024 set a new record for platform blocks, with 71 instances across 35 countries. These restrictions on social media and messaging services, the group warned, are just as damaging as full internet shutdowns. 'Authorities often use them to control information flows or target specific groups,' the report stated. Notably, X, formerly known as Twitter, was the most blocked platform globally for the first time, a shift that coincides with the platform's decline in content governance. 'Signal and TikTok also saw sharp increases in blocks, alongside X, marking the sharpest percentage rise from the previous year,' the report concluded. Criticizing the justifications often cited for disrupting access to essential communication platforms, Access Now's Felicia Anthonio said: 'Governments tend to cite a wide range of justifications to block access, but none of these excuses are legitimate. Authorities need to question whether shutdowns are necessary and the least restrictive measure available to address the issue at hand. The answer is clear: no, they are not.' Anthonio emphasized that Access Now's monitoring has repeatedly shown that blocking platforms does more harm than good. 'Blocking platforms amplifies misinformation, restricts people's ability to verify information, and disrupts lives,' she explained. 'For some, these platforms are crucial for financial stability and maintaining contact with family. Blocking them doesn't guarantee security; it can even endanger lives, particularly during crises and times of instability,' she told the Express Tribune. 'Such shutdowns provide a cloak of darkness for impunity, violence, and human rights violations to thrive, and pushes countries further from democratic principles,' she concluded.
