In 2024, governments around the world imposed numerous internet shutdowns, and the economic impact has been staggering. A recent report from Top10VPN shows that global losses from these shutdowns reached a massive $7.69 billion. Among all countries, Pakistan was hit the hardest, suffering a loss of $1.62 billion due to government-imposed internet blackouts. Myanmar and Sudan also faced significant economic damage, with losses amounting to $1.58 billion and $1.12 billion, respectively.
Internet shutdowns are becoming more common as governments use them as a tool to control civil unrest, political protests, elections, and even to prevent exam cheating. These digital disruptions are not only hurting people’s daily lives but also damaging economies. With the increasing reliance on the internet for work, communication, and business, these shutdowns have far-reaching consequences.
Although the losses in 2024 were significant, they were not as high as in previous years. For example, in 2022, the global economic damage from internet blackouts reached a record $24.61 billion. In 2023, losses were slightly lower, at $9.01 billion. Despite the decrease in total losses, 2024 saw an alarming rise in the number of internet shutdowns, with 28 countries imposing digital blackouts. These disruptions resulted in 167 major outages, impacting over 648 million people worldwide. The shutdowns lasted a total of 88,788 hours, a 12% increase compared to 2023, making 2024 the year with the longest periods of internet disruptions ever recorded.
Interestingly, while overall internet shutdowns increased, the number of social media blockades showed a decline. This shift suggests that governments might be focusing more on shutting down general internet access rather than blocking specific platforms. Social media, despite its importance, might not be as targeted as it once was, perhaps because of the global attention it attracts.
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