Frank Okon

The United Nations is raising renewed alarm over the growing use of government-imposed internet shutdowns during civil unrest and elections, warning that digital blackouts are becoming a routine tool to restrict information, suppress dissent and undermine basic rights.

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At least 300 internet shutdowns have been recorded across more than 54 countries over the past two years, according to civil society monitors, prompting UNESCO this week to caution that the practice poses a serious threat to freedom of expression, democratic participation and access to essential services.

In a statement, UNESCO said governments are increasingly cutting internet access during protests, elections and periods of political instability, despite the central role online connectivity now plays in public life. The agency cited data from digital rights group Access Now showing that 2024 was the worst year on record for internet shutdowns since systematic tracking began in 2016. The trend has continued into 2026, with new blackouts already imposed in several countries facing major demonstrations or electoral contests.

“Access to information is an integral part of the universal right to freedom of expression,” UNESCO said, adding that internet connectivity underpins a wide range of other rights, including education, freedom of association and assembly, and participation in social, cultural and political life. The agency urged governments to pursue policies that expand access rather than restrict it.

Beyond curtailing rights, the UN warned that shutdowns often worsen the very crises they are meant to contain. Cutting off journalists, media outlets and public authorities from digital channels makes verified information harder to obtain, creating fertile ground for rumors, misinformation and unverified content to spread.

Recent months have seen a wave of high-profile internet disruptions linked to political unrest.

In January 2026, Iran imposed a near-total nationwide blackout amid renewed protests, with connectivity monitors reporting traffic falling to minimal levels. The shutdown disrupted businesses and severely limited the ability of citizens, journalists and civil society groups to communicate and document events.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban ordered a nationwide internet shutdown in September and October 2025, further constraining humanitarian operations, journalism and access to education, particularly for women and girls.

Elsewhere, governments have increasingly turned to targeted platform bans rather than full blackouts. Nepal suspended access to 26 social media and messaging platforms in September 2025 amid political unrest. In Sri Lanka, legislation adopted in 2024 grants authorities sweeping powers to restrict online content, raising concerns about a shrinking digital civic space.

Africa has remained a focal point for election-related disruptions. Internet connectivity was significantly restricted in Cameroon during the October 2025 presidential election, while Tanzania imposed partial shutdowns and other limitations around its own October 2025 polls, drawing criticism amid a broader crackdown on civil liberties.

The latest warnings echo findings from a 2022 report by the UN human rights office (OHCHR), which examined the causes and consequences of internet shutdowns worldwide. That report documented how blackouts can prevent hospitals from contacting doctors during emergencies, deprive voters of information about candidates, cut off small businesses from customers and leave protesters unable to call for help during violent crackdowns.

The OHCHR concluded that internet shutdowns rarely meet international human rights standards, particularly the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality. Because of their indiscriminate reach, shutdowns often affect millions of people far beyond the situations they are intended to address, deepening digital divides and undermining social and economic development.

With shutdowns increasingly deployed as a political response to unrest, the UN warns that the normalization of digital blackouts risks eroding hard-won rights and weakening democratic institutions worldwide.