Pakistan emerged as the hardest-hit country, experiencing an economic loss of $1.62 billion due to nearly 10,000 hours of internet disruptions. Myanmar and Sudan followed closely, suffering losses of $1.58 billion and $1.12 billion, respectively. Additionally, Iraq reported the highest number of internet shutdowns (61), primarily during school exams, for the second consecutive year.
The report noted a significant shift towards complete internet blackouts in contrast to social media-specific shutdowns. This shift likely reflects governments’ realization that citizens can circumvent social media blocks using VPNs. Simon Migliano, head of research at Top10VPN, stated, “It may be more effective to cut internet access completely, but it’s significantly more damaging to people’s livelihoods and ability to communicate.”
In 2024, Asia accounted for a significant portion of the global internet shutdowns, with the region’s economic cost totaling $4.64 billion, affecting more than 331 million people.
Myanmar and Pakistan experienced some of the longest recorded shutdowns, with Myanmar’s internet effectively cut off for over 8,700 hours. Governments increasingly targeted specific platforms rather than entire networks. ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) topped the list as the most blocked social media platform, suffering 20,322 hours of disruption across 11 countries, followed by TikTok with 8,115 hours of blocking.
The primary reason behind these targeted shutdowns was to suppress political movements, control public narratives, and curb freedom of expression. The global implications of these shutdowns are profound. From $4.01 billion in 2020 to $24.61 billion in 2022, the financial toll of internet blackouts on the global economy has escalated, affecting millions and disrupting various industries.
