LAST year saw a record number of internet shutdowns by governments, according to a damning new report published today.

The report by Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition said there were 296 internet shutdowns documented across 54 countries during 2024. This beat the previous year’s tally of 283 shutdowns in 39 nations.

According to the report, conflict remains the leading cause of the shutdowns. 

Tactics used by governments included jamming devices and severing cables to destroying infrastructure and sabotaging service providers.

The report called out Myanmar as the leading offender with 85 internet shutdowns. The outages were primarily imposed by the military government to target “a population resisting its dictatorship four years after the coup,” the report said.

India dropped from the top in 2023 to second place, with 84 shutdowns. Pakistan recorded its highest ever total with 21 shutdowns.

Israel led the Middle East shutdown league with six shutdowns during its war on the Palestinians in Gaza, “systematically cutting off” connectivity and destroying telecommunication infrastructure, the report said.

In Sudan, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the rival Rapid Support Forces weaponised shutdowns during the ongoing civil war, disrupting access to vital services for millions.

The year also saw cyberattacks from the Anonymous Sudan hacker group causing shutdowns in Bahrain, Chad, and Israel, while Mauritania enacted the region’s first election-related shutdown since 2021.