(The Conversation) – Between 2016 and 2024, 193 internet shutdowns were imposed in 41 African countries.
This form of social control is a growing trend across the continent, according to a new open-access book. It is the first-ever comparative analysis by African researchers on how African states are using internet shutdowns and why they are doing so.
The book, co-edited by Felicia Anthonio, a digital rights activist and internet shutdown expert, and Tony Roberts, a digital researcher, offers 11 in-depth case studies of state-imposed internet shutdowns. We asked them five questions about it.
What is an internet shutdown and why does it happen?
In simple terms, an internet shutdown is an intentional interruption of online or mobile communications. It is usually ordered by the state and implemented by private companies, internet service providers, or mobile phone operators, or sometimes both.
The book argues that internet shutdowns are neither legal, nor necessary, nor proportionate under the international human rights framework. Shutdowns deliberately prevent the free flow of information and communication. They disrupt online social, economic, and political life. Thus, each internet shutdown typically violates the fundamental rights of millions of citizens. This includes their rights to freedom of expression, commerce, democratic debate, and civic participation online.
Our research examined case studies from 11 countries between 2016 and 2024. It reveals that these shutdowns are timed to coincide with elections or peaceful protests in order to suppress political opposition and prevent the dissemination of information online.
In Senegal, five politically motivated internet shutdowns in just three years have transformed the country’s digital landscape. They have deprived citizens of access to online work, education, and health information.
The chapter on Uganda shows how the government imposed social media shutdowns during elections. It feared dissenting voices online, including that of musician and politician Bobi Wine.
In Ethiopia, internet shutdowns are timed to coincide with opposition protests to prevent live coverage of the state’s violent repression.
In Zimbabwe, the government shut down the internet in 2019 to suppress anti-government protests.
It is concerning that regimes are imposing these authoritarian digital practices with increasing frequency and with impunity.
What are the major trends?
The report warns of the use of internet shutdowns to maintain power through authoritarian controls. Across Africa, governments are normalizing their use to suppress dissent, stifle protests, and manipulate election results.
These shutdowns are becoming increasingly frequent and widespread, rising from 14 in 2016 to 28 in 2024. The consequences are devastating in an increasingly digitally connected world.
Internet shutdowns are also becoming more sophisticated. Partial shutdowns can target specific provinces or websites to cut off access to opposition areas. In recent years, foreign states, military regimes, and warring parties have also used internet shutdowns as a weapon of war. This has been done by targeting and destroying telecommunications infrastructure.
Ethiopia has experienced the highest number of internet shutdowns in Africa, with 30 in the last 10 years. These shutdowns have become a common state tactic in an attempt to silence dissent in the Oromo and Amhara regions.
The shutdowns are timed to coincide with crackdowns on protests or military operations to prevent live coverage of human rights abuses. Ethiopia is a prime example of how internet shutdowns reflect and amplify existing political and ethnic interests.
Zimbabwe is one of many examples cited in the book to illustrate the colonial roots of the shutdowns. The first media shutdowns in Zimbabwe were imposed by the British, who closed newspapers to silence calls for political independence. After liberation, the new government used its own authoritarian control over the media to spread disinformation and restrict opposition calls for justice and a democratic system.