The #KeepItOn coalition brings together hundreds of civil society organizations and our allies from around the world – in government, international institutions, media, the private sector, and beyond – to fight for an end to internet shutdowns. To learn more, check out the #KeepItOn FAQ, listen to the Kill Switch podcast, and read our latest annual report.
INTERNET SHUTDOWNS UNDERMINE HUMAN RIGHTS
An internet shutdown is defined as “an intentional disruption of internet or electronic communications, rendering them inaccessible or effectively unusable, for a specific population or within a location, often to exert control over the flow of information.” They take many forms, from full network disruptions, to slowing down internet speed (“throttling”), to platform blocking.
Internet shutdowns are always an attack on human rights. When people are disconnected, it impacts all aspects of life — from work and education, to medical care and banking. Shutdowns block journalism, restrict free expression and community organizing, and prevent documentation of human rights abuses. During conflict and crisis, they stop people from accessing life-saving information and humanitarian aid.
→ Impact of shutdowns on:
DOCUMENTING SHUTDOWNS GLOBALLY
Together with partners in the #KeepItOn coalition, Access Now documents verified internet shutdowns in the Shutdowns Tracker Optimization Project (STOP) dataset. Beginning in 2016, STOP provides the most complete record of the scale, variety, and severity of shutdowns around the world, and we are continuously working to improve it.
Annual report: internet shutdowns in 2023
If you can’t see the highlights above, please check your privacy-enhancing browser extensions. Open in desktop view for the best experience.
EXPERIENCING A SHUTDOWN?
REPORT A SHUTDOWN
Detected a shutdown?
Email us at [email protected]
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.
DIGITAL SECURITY TIPS
Here are some tips on how to safely prepare for and navigate an internet shutdown, get back online, and document shutdowns as they happen.
GET HELP
If you are a human rights defender, civil society organization, or journalist impacted by a shutdown or facing other digital threats, contact our Digital Security Helpline for 24/7 assistance to get back online.
FEATURED CAMPAIGNS
ELECTION WATCH
Internet shutdowns undermine election integrity and democracy. Through our #KeepItOn Election Watch, we identify countries where there is a heightened risk of election-related shutdowns and advocate to keep people online.
Want to work with the #KeepItOn coalition to prevent an election shutdown in your country?
See our civil society guide for collaborating on elections-related advocacy.
English | Russian | French | Spanish | Arabic | Swahili
#Noexamshutdown
Together with SMEX and the Internet Society, we are mobilizing efforts to stop the systematic use of exam-related shutdowns to prevent cheating — urging authorities across the Middle East and North African region and elsewhere to find alternative, rights-respecting solutions that do not negatively impact entire populations.
shutdown impact stories
Internet shutdowns hurt people and communities worldwide. To amplify the voices of victims and strengthen global advocacy against shutdowns, we collect and share shutdown impact stories from around the world, including from Sudan, Uganda, Iran, Bangladesh, Togo, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Ethiopia.
explore more
See all the resources and latest updates on #KeepItOn campaign actions, publications, press coverage, and more.
WHO IS FIGHTING BACK
Access Now launched the #KeepItOn campaign in 2016 to mobilize people, communities, and civil society actors globally to fight against internet shutdowns. Today, it unites more than 334 national, international, regional, and local organizations in what has become the world’s leading coalition pushing for an end to internet shutdowns globally.
Our coalition comprises research centers, rights and advocacy groups, detection networks, and foundations and media organizations, among others. Together, we raise awareness about shutdowns and their impact, monitor and document shutdowns, support people and communities fighting shutdowns, and hold perpetrators to account. We work with diverse stakeholders including governments, regional and international bodies, industry leaders, journalists, researchers, and others to push back against shutdowns and establish rights-respecting norms. Membership is open to civil society organizations, and we encourage you to join us.
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 Grassroots
Digital Rights Foundation Pakistan
Digital Right Lawyers Initiative
Digital Rights Watch Australia
Digital Security Lab Ukraine
Digital Skills Coalition Belarus
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
Forus
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
Voices for Interactive Choice and Empowerment (VOICE)
WAKE UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS / AFRICA SECTION
Webfala Digital Skills for all Initiative
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
Key partners have included regional and international bodies, such as the UN, the European Union, the Freedom Online Coalition, the African Union, and the International Telecommunications Union, as well as internet service providers and digital communications platforms.
If your organization, institution, or company would like to become a campaign partner or friend of the coalition, reach out to #KeepItOn Campaign Manager Felicia Anthonio at [email protected].
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
#KeepItOn: Bangladesh’s government must restore internet access, ensure connectivity during student protests
#KeepItOn coalition urges authorities in Bangladesh to ensure that people can access open, secure, and unrestricted internet during the ongoing student protests.
Access Now condemns recent internet disruption in Kenya
Authorities in Kenya must immediately restore internet access and #KeepItOn throughout protests and unrest
Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition strongly condemn the ongoing disruption of internet access and increased crackdown on the people of Kenya amid protests.
#لا_لقطع_الإنترنت_خلال_الامتحانات: التزام الأردن بعدم قطع الإنترنت ينبغي أن يستمرّ هذا العام
We’re sending an open letter to authorities in Jordan calling them to continue to #KeepItOn during this year’s exams.
#NoExamShutdown: Jordan’s commitment to #KeepItOn should continue this year
We’re sending an open letter to authorities in Jordan calling them to continue to #KeepItOn during this year’s exams.
Apagones de Internet en 2023: el peor año registrado para América Latina y el Caribe
Por casi todos los est��ndares, el año 2023 fue el peor en cuanto a apagones de internet registrados.
Mind the gap: why the UN Security Council should prioritize digital rights
Even as states increasingly weaponize communication networks, the UN Security Council has remained largely silent on digital rights issues. This puts everyone at risk.
#لا_لقطع_الإنترنت_خلال_الامتحانات: على سوريا وضع حدٍّ لإجراءات قطع الإنترنت خلال الامتحانات الرسميّة
مع اقتراب فترة الامتحانات هذا العام، نرسل رسالة إلى السلطات في سوريا لعدم حجب الانترنت (#KeepItOn) (#لا_لقطع_الإنترنت_خلال_الامتحانات).
First-time culprit: France blocks TikTok in New Caledonia
In New Caledonia, French authorities blocked TikTok. This measure is disproportionate, unnecessary, and another bad omen for democracy.
#KeepItOn: Syria must end internet shutdowns during national exams
We’re sending an open letter to authorities in Syria to #KeepItOn during exams and call for #NoExamShutdown.
ВЕЦА в 2023 году: отключения интернета прикрывают злодеяния
Почти по всем показателям 2023 год стал худшим годом по количеству отключений интернета за всю историю наблюдений.
Digital darkness: India leads the world in internet shutdowns
Guerre e Clima, mai così tante interruzioni a internet
СЄЦА у 2023 році: відключення інтернету заохочують до жорстокості
Майже за усіма показниками 2023-ий став найгіршим роком, що стосується відключень інтернету за усю історію спостережень.
India is no. 1 again for internet shutdowns: ‘almost a form of collective punishment’
Access Now Grants: how we supported activists in 2023
In 2023, Access Now Grants supported activists facing digital threats around the world, from Palestine to Myanmar to Ukraine and beyond.
Learn more about the fight to end internet shutdowns
Resources for activists
Need creative assets for your campaign? Here is a CC4.0-licensed visual toolkit.
Contact us if you would like to contribute to the toolkit or help us localize it.
CONTACT
For media inquiries, contact [email protected]
Felicia Anthonio | #KeepItOn Campaign Manager | [email protected]
Zach Rosson | #KeepItOn Data Analyst | [email protected]