NEW DELHI: India witnessed the second-highest number of internet shutdowns in 2024, relinquishing its top position to Myanmar for the first time since 2018 by just one less blackout, according to a report released on Sunday.
The Access Now report said that Myanmar imposed 85 shut downs last year followed by India, which stood at 84 and Pakistan at 21.
“Following closely behind was India with 84 shutdowns, which for the first time since 2018 was not the leading offender but still imposed an unacceptably high number of shutdowns as the world’s largest democracy,” the report said.
It said that the four offenders with the highest total number of shutdowns — Myanmar, India, Pakistan and Russia — accounted for 209 cases, or 71% of the global total.
Manipur experienced most blackouts
The ethnic strife-torn state Manipur witnessed the highest number of internet blackouts, followed by Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.
“People in 16 states and territories experienced a shutdown, with state government officials in Manipur (21), Haryana (12), and Jammu & Kashmir (12) topping the list of offenders in India. Of the 84, 41 shutdowns were related to protests, and 23 were related to communal violence,” the report said.
‘Year of democracy’ witnesses highest poll related shutdowns since 2019
Dubbed the “year of democracy,” 2024 saw elections in at least 64 countries, impacting nearly half of the world’s population. However, the year also marked a rise in election-related internet shutdowns, with 12 recorded incidents across eight countries. This represents the highest yearly total since 2019, reversing a yearslong decline in such disruptions.
“The year 2024 was deemed a “year of democracy,” as elections took place in at least 64 countries to determine representatives for nearly half of the world’s population. We recorded 12 election related shutdowns in eight countries after a yearslong decrease, documenting the highest yearly total of such shutdowns since 2019,” the report said.
X tops global platform blocks in 2024
X emerged as the most blocked platform worldwide in 2024, facing 24 blocks across 14 countries—the highest since 2019, when it was restricted 33 times.
Meanwhile, TikTok saw an increase in censorship, being blocked 10 times in 10 countries in 2024, up from six times in six countries the previous year. Three nations—India, Jordan, and Kyrgyzstan—have continued their bans into 2025.
