Governments around the world oversaw a record-breaking year for internet shutdowns in 2024, a new report on “digital violence” suggests.
With 85 shutdowns last year, Myanmar is the most affected nation globally, according to research by the digital rights organization Access Now.
According to its research, which was made public on Monday, February 24, authorities in 54 countries implemented at least 296 shutdowns. According to Access Now, the largest trigger was conflict, which was followed by protests, exams, and elections.
The research identifies 202 shutdowns in 11 countries or territories in the Asia-Pacific area. It is the most Access Now has ever tracked for the area in a single year.
Asia is home to the three nations with the worst records: In 2024, 190 cases in Pakistan, India, and Myanmar accounted for around 64% of all shutdowns that were reported. There were 84 documented occurrences in India, which is frequently described to as the largest democracy in the world.
Access Now's Asia Pacific policy director, Raman Jit Singh Chima, issued a warning about the emergence of digital authoritarianism in Asia.
In a statement, he said: " Shutdowns destabilize societies, undermine digital progress, put entire communities at risk, and provide a cloak of impunity for human rights abuses."
" Authorities from Myanmar to Pakistan are isolating people from the rest of the world with impunity, reflecting the rising digital authoritarianism in Asia."
Data on shutdowns, such as cutting cables, seizing equipment, blocking platforms, and issuing directives to telecom companies, is gathered by Access Now.
The junta has frequently restricted internet access in Myanmar since taking over in a coup in February 2021. According to the junta, the prohibitions are in place to preserve "stability" and stop the propagation of fake news and misinformation. Meanwhile, the junta has canceled media licenses and imprisoned scores of journalists.
According to the Access Now analysis, 31 of the 85 shutdowns that were implemented in Myanmar last year were linked to known violations of human rights, and at least 17 of them were connected to airstrikes against civilians.
According to the report, this record places the nation among the poorest for digital rights for the fourth year in a row.
Press freedom in East Asia continues to see a decline, according to Reporters without Borders. The global watchdog reports that 26 out of 31 countries in the Asia-Pacific region have seen a decline in press freedoms between 2023 and 2024.