ISLAMABAD, (TDI): A recent report by TechRadar reveals that global government-imposed internet shutdowns resulted in an economic loss of $7.69 billion in 2024.
Pakistan was the hardest-hit nation, incurring losses of $1.62 billion, followed by Myanmar with $1.58 billion and Sudan with $1.12 billion.
Although 2024 was not the most financially damaging year for internet disruptions overall, it still set several negative records.
Record-Breaking Outages in 2024
The year witnessed the highest number of countries affected by self-imposed internet outages. Citizens in 28 nations endured 167 major disruptions, impacting 648.4 million people. The total duration of these outages reached an unprecedented 88,788 hours—a 12% increase compared to 2023.
Despite the widespread disruptions, social media blocks declined overall in 2024.
This trend surprised analysts, including Simon Migliano, Head of Research at Top10VPN, who told TechRadar:
“This was probably due to high-profile incidents like Pakistan’s prolonged shutdown of X, which drew significant attention, whereas ongoing blackouts in regions like Myanmar and Azerbaijan received less focus over time.”
Internet shutdowns are considered the most extreme form of censorship, rendering even advanced VPN apps ineffective. Governments often enforce these disruptions during civil unrest, political protests, or security crises.
Shutdowns can be targeted at specific regions—such as Jammu, Kashmir, and Punjab in India—or affect mobile, fixed connections, or entire networks. In 2024, civil conflict emerged as the primary reason for these measures, causing significant economic repercussions worldwide.
Also Read:PTA to Block Unregistered VPNs to Control Internet
Iraq recorded the highest number of shutdowns in 2024, with 61 incidents, primarily linked to school exams.
Meanwhile, Pakistan faced the greatest economic losses due to internet and social media restrictions during elections and anti-government protests. Similarly, Myanmar and Sudan experienced prolonged outages driven by ongoing conflicts.
VPN Usage Soars Amid Shutdowns
Many citizens turned to VPNs and similar tools to bypass restrictions. These tools mask a user’s IP address, enabling access to blocked platforms. VPN usage surged globally in 2024, with Proton VPN reporting spikes in sign-ups across at least 15 countries.
Social Media Blocks
X (formerly Twitter) was the most-blocked social media platform of 2024, primarily due to extended restrictions in Pakistan (in place since February), Myanmar, and Venezuela. TikTok faced the second-most blocks, with the longest disruption occurring in Kyrgyzstan, where access has been restricted since April.
Also Read: Slow Internet: Pakistan IT Sector Losing Rs 1.3 Billion Daily
Shorter but notable TikTok outages occurred in Senegal and New Caledonia, marking the first instance of a Western democracy (France) imposing such restrictions.
Government Justifications Under Scrutiny
In Pakistan, the government faced criticism for its handling of internet shutdowns. On Wednesday, the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication expressed dissatisfaction, noting that these measures lacked coverage under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
