In 2022, Access Now’s Shutdown Tracker Optimization Project (STOP), in collaboration with the #KeepItOn coalition, recorded 187 internet shutdowns in 35 countries. The year was marked by the weaponization of shutdowns during armed conflict, a continued resurgence of disruptions during protest, and the entrenchment of repeat and prolonged shutdowns. With 48 shutdowns in 14 countries coinciding with documented human rights abuses, the human cost of internet shutdowns has never been more clear. Read the full report to find out more about emerging trends from 2022, where we’re headed in 2023, and how the #KeepItOn coalition is fighting back.
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Impacts of shutdowns
#KeepItOn Advocacy Toolkit
Who’s pushing back
Since 2016, the #KeepItOn coalition — more than 300 organizations from 105 countries around the world — has been fighting internet shutdowns with all kinds of creative approaches, including grassroots advocacy, direct policy-maker engagement, technical support, and legal intervention.
Acceso Libre
Access Now
ACI Participa
ACTION Coalition
ADISI-Cameroun
Advocacy Initiative for Development
AFEX
Afghan Independent Journalists Association
Afghanistan Journalists Center
Africa Cybersecurity & Digital Rights Organization (ACDRO)
African Freedom of Information Centre – AFIC
Africa Foundation for Community Development (AFCOD-Uganda)
Africa Open Data and Internet Research Foundation
Africans Rising
Africtivistes
AfroLeadership
Amnesty International
Arab World Internet Institute
ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE19 Eastern Africa
Association for Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS)
Asociacion por los Derechos Civiles
Association Djiboutienne des Droits de l’Homme
Association for Progressive Communications
Asuntos del Sur
Baaroo
Bahrain Center for Human Rights
Bahrain Watch
Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communications
Bareedo Platform Somalia
Bits of Freedom
Bloggers Association of Kenya
Bloggers of Zambia
Blueprint for Free Speech
Body and Data
Bolo Bhi
Briar Project
Bytes for All
Ça Suffit
Cameroon Association of Media Professionals
Campaign for Human Rights and Development International
Center for Democracy and Technology
Center for Media Research Nepal
Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding
Centre for Internet and Society
CHRDA
CIPESA (The Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa)
CIPIT (Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law at Strathmore University)
Collectif #Sasouffit
Committee to Protect Journalists
Common Cause Zambia
Consortium of Ethiopian Rights Organizations
Cyber Arabs
DanChurchAid (DCA)
Đảng Việt Tân
Delhi Union of Journalists
Derechos Digitales
Digital Bridge Institute
Digital Defenders Partnership
Digital Rights Foundation Pakistan
Digital Right Lawyers Initiative
Digital Rights Watch Australia
Digital Security Lab Ukraine
Digital Society of Zimbabwe
Digital Woman Uganda
Digital Paradigm” PF
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Embajadores de Internet
EMPOWER
Engage Media
Enjambre Digital
EPIC
European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights
Eurasian Digital Foundation
Expression Now Human Rights Initiative
Feminism in India
Fight for the Future
Filipino Freethinkers
Foundation for Media Alternatives
Fundación Internet Bolivia
Free Expression Myanmar
Free Media Movement, Sri Lanka
Free Press
Free Press Unlimited
Freedom Forum Nepal
Freedom House
Freedom of Information Counsel
Freemuse
freenode
Front Line Defenders
Fundacion Via Libre
Fundacja ePaństwo
Gambia Press Union
GetUp!
Global Digital Inclusion Partnership Global Network Initiative
Global Voices
GNU Solidario
GreatFire
Gulf Center for Human Rights
Hack the Climate
Heliopolis Institute
Hiperderecho
Hivos
HRNJ-Uganda
Human Constanta
Human Rights Activists in Iran
Human Rights Centre
Human Rights Consulting Group (HRCG)
Human Rights Foundation
Human Rights Watch
Ideosync Media Combine
ifreedom Uganda
Index on Censorship
Indic project
Inidev International
Institute for Development of Freedom of Information
Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety
Institute for Media and Society
Instituto Prensa y Sociedad de Venezuela
International Federation of Journalists
International Media Support
International Modern Media Institute
International Press Centre
International Press Institute
International Service for Human Rights
Internet Freedom Foundation
Internet Lab
Internet Policy Observatory Pakistan
Internet Protection Society
Internet Sans Frontières
Internet Society
Internet Yetu
Internews
Ipandetec
IRADA
Iraqi Network for Social Media
IT for Change
ITS Rio
Iyina
Jamii Forum
Jhatkaa
Jordan Open Source Association
Journalist Association of Bhutan
KICTANet
Kijiji Yeetu
Kiwix
Korean Progressive Network Jinbonet Kuza STEAM
KrantiKali
Kuza STEAM Generation
La Quadrature du Net LAPLIH
Lebanese Cyberspace Association
Lesbian Gay and Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA Asia)
Liberia Information Technology Student Union
LIRNEasia
Localization Lab
Libyan Crimes Watch (LCW)
Maldives Journalists Association
Media Development Foundation Maldives
Media Foundation for West Africa
Media Institute of Southern Africa
The Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI)
Media Matters for Democracy
Media Rights Agenda
Miaan
Myanmar ICT for Development Organization (MIDO)
Namibia Media Trust
Nothing 2 Hide
Open Democracy Advice Centre
Open Knowledge International
Open Observatory of Network Interference
Open State Foundation
Open Tech Fund
Open Technology Institute and Measurement Lab
OpenMedia
Pacific Freedom Forum
Paradigm Initiative Nigeria
PEN America
PEN Melbourne
PenPlusBytes
Pollicy
Press Union of Liberia
Projet d’action pour une Alternance Crédible au Tchad
Public Knowledge
R3D
Ranking Digital Rights
Reporters Sans Frontières
Réseau des Jeunes Bénévoles des Classiques en Sciences Sociales en Haiti
Réseau des Journalistes Burundais pour la CPI, (RJB-CPI)*
Réseau Ouest Africain des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (ROADDH) West African Human Rights Defenders Network
Right2Know
Ritimo
RNW Media
RosKomSvoboda
Rudi International
Sarawak Report
ShareAction
Sinar Project
Skyline for Human Rights
Small Media
Social Media Exchange
SocialTic
Software Freedom Law Centre
SonTusDatos
South Asia Media Solidarity Network
Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network
Sula Batsu
Sunlight Foundation
Swathanthra Malayalam Computing
Tech for Peace
Thai Netizen Network
The Bachchao Project
Tor
Trop C’est Trop
TVYangu
Ubunteam
Union of Tanzania Press Club
Unwanted Witness
Usuarios Digitales – Ecuador
Venezuela Inteligente
WAKE UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS / AFRICA SECTION
Web Foundation
Wikimedia France
Wikimedia Foundation
WITNESS
Women in Information Technology
Women of Uganda Network Working
Woman Journalists Nepal
Xnet
Yemeni Observatory for Freedom
Yodet
Zaina Foundation
What you can do to help
Let us know if you are personally impacted by internet shutdowns. The story you submit could help change the world for the better.
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Get the #KeepItOn Visual toolkit
Looking for visuals and creative assets? Here is a CC4.0 licensed visual toolkit for you to use.
If you would like to contribute to the toolkit or help us localize it, please contact Felicia Anthonio at [email protected].
#KeepItOn FAQ
Have some questions? Here is the list of frequently asked questions, covering the definition of internet shutdowns, the details of the campaign and the coalition, as well as plenty of resources to inspire actions.
Report a shutdown
Detected a shutdown? Email us! If you can, please include screenshots of offline pages, time and date of the shutdown, photos, or any other information you think would be helpful.
[email protected]
Contact our Helpline
If a shutdown influenced you, contact the Digital Security Helpline for tech help to get back online.
Our helpline provides 24/7 direct technical help to to civil society groups & activists, media organizations, journalists & bloggers, and human rights defenders.
Contact
Have a press inquiry or want to know more about this campaign? Contact:
Felicia Anthonio | #KeepItOn Campaign Manager | [email protected]