Internet Shutdowns At Record High In Africa As Access 'Weaponized'

Internet shutdowns in Africa hit a record high in 2024, with 21 shutdowns across 15 countries. The previous record was 19 shutdowns in 2020 and 21. The Guardian reports: Authorities in Comoros, Guinea-Bissau and Mauritius joined repeat offenders such as Burundi, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea and Kenya. Guinea, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania were also on the list. But perpetrators also included militias and other non-state actors. Telecommunication and internet service providers who shut services based on government orders are also complicit in violating people's rights, said Felicia Anthonio, the #KeepItOn campaign manager at Access Now, citing the UN guiding principles on business and human rights.

The details showed that most of the shutdowns were imposed as a response to conflicts, protests and political instability. There were also restrictions during elections. [...] At least five shutdowns in Africa had been imposed for more than a year by the end of 2024, according to Access Now. As of early 2025, the social network Meta was still restricted in Uganda, despite authorities engaging with its representatives. On the Equatorial Guinean island of Annobon, internet and cell services have been cut off since an August 2024 protest over environmental concerns and isolation from the rest of the country. The increase in shutdowns led the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights to pass a landmark resolution in March 2024 to help reverse the trend.

These people need Christianity

[Gavino]

Civil society and stable democracies didn't really occur until the advent of Christianity, which really helps to calm everyone's arses right down and encourage people to help each other, rather than hacking each other with machetes. And I'm saying this as basically a non-Christian. Without Christianity, these people will just continue to behave like savages.

Re:

[anoncoward69]

This is the dumbest shit ever. Most wars are due to religion. I mean just look at the fucking middle east right now!

Re: These people need Christianity

[Big Hairy Gorilla]

If you replace religion, "Christianity" with "Education", I think what you said make more sense. Are there not Christian regions in Africa?

Re: These people need Christianity

[Big Hairy Gorilla]

That's funny , you were modded down in the time it took me to bang out the preceding two sentences. Was that automation?

An excellent reason for satellite based internet.

[Teun]

Such government shutdowns are the best reason for satellite based internet.
We know GPS can be interfered with but looking at the number of these low orbit satellites it'll probably much harder to shut down the communication.

Re:

[anoncoward69]

Sat internet isn't a solution either. The govt will just drive around in direction finding vans searching for "unauthorized signals" and at best confiscate your sat equipment and worst slap you with hefty fines, jail time or maybe even death if they consider it an act of terrorism or treason.

Many many moons ago

[RightwingNutjob]

I was riding the CalTrain up to the San Francisco airport and I overheard a conversation between two young women from India, opining on their career prospects in Silicon Valley versus back home in India in the mid-to-late 2000s.

The word they kept repeating to eachother was "same." The opportunity for career growth was the same. The tech ecosystem was the same. The standard of living was the same.

Perhaps in the rarified air that lets you jet between Mumbai and San Francisco on a whim and send your daughter t