Government blocs on the Internet are on the rise

Incidents of internet access cut off after authorities intervened increased in 2021, according to a report by the coalition of organizations #KeepItOn, which recorded 182 such cases worldwide.

"With the gradual return to normalcy after the spread of the pandemic Covid-19, in 2021 we observed a dramatic increase in Internet access interruptions "said the authors of the report.

A total of 34 countries went on access bans last year, up from 29 in 2020.

India tops the list with 106 holidays, mainly in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, which are claimed by India and Pakistan.

Myanmar is second (15 vacations), followed by Iran (5), Sudan (5), Cuba (4) and Jordan (4).

Internet access bans have been imposed on a variety of occasions: protests and coups (Myanmar, Iran, Sudan, Jordan, Pakistan, Eswatini, Cuba, Burkina Faso), elections (Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iran, Nigeria, Iran) , war zones (Ethiopia, Myanmar, Gaza Strip) or even to avoid irregularities during exams (Algeria, Syria, Sudan).

#KeepitOn, however, noticed a decrease in the number of incidents during the pre-election period.

The coalition, which includes 282 organizations from 100 countries, has welcomed official G7 and UN complaints about restrictions on Internet access. At the same time, he pointed out that the number of lawsuits against the practice has increased in many African countries.

"Internet access disruptions and the rise of authoritarianism go hand in hand," said Marian Dias Hernandez of the NGO Access Now.

"In 2021, governments have demonstrated the extent to which disrupting Internet access can be a tool for controlling citizens," he said.

Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ / Reuters