NAIROBI,Kenya, Jan 29—Cybersecurity firm Surfshark recorded 116 cases of internet disruptions globally in 2024, with Kenya among the affected countries.
In its latest report, Surfshark stated that all disruptions were deliberate and politically motivated. The year began with 53 ongoing internet restrictions, while 63 new cases emerged throughout 2024, according to its Internet Shutdowns Yearly Recap.
Asia remained the most affected region, with governments in seven countries imposing 43 new restrictions, impacting two billion people.
“We are witnessing a deeply concerning global trend: the number of people impacted by internet shutdowns continues to rise,” said Luís Costa, Surfshark’s Research Lead.
He noted that in 2024 alone, 4.78 billion people were affected by disruptions linked to key events such as elections, protests, and political unrest.
Despite growing recognition of internet access as a fundamental human right, the prevalence of restrictions has increased yearly since Surfshark launched its Internet Shutdown Tracker in 2015.
In 2024, five countries—Kenya, Comoros, Mauritius, Mozambique, and El Salvador—imposed internet restrictions for the first time, highlighting a growing trend of government-mandated digital blockages.
Mozambique accounted for eight cases, ranking second among countries with the most new restrictions. The shutdowns followed political turmoil and protests over disputed election results.
El Salvador also recorded internet disruptions for the first time, with Telegram services restricted during Independence Day celebrations and the presidential inauguration.
Africa registered 17 new cases across eight countries, affecting 394 million people.
India remained the most restrictive country in Asia, imposing 23 new internet shutdowns, a sharp increase from 11 cases in 2023. Other affected nations included Pakistan (8 cases), Bangladesh (4), Turkey (4), Jammu and Kashmir (2), Iran (1), and Syria (1).
Iran, which imposed 29 internet restrictions in 2023 in response to anti-government protests, recorded only one case in 2024.
Social media was the focus of one-third of all internet restrictions in 2024, with 18 new cases across seven countries.
Facebook remained the most targeted platform by restrictive governments, with Surfshark reporting that 46 percent of the global population has been affected by Facebook restrictions since 2015.
While Telegram was the most blocked platform in 2023, with eight cases in seven countries, this dropped to three restrictions in three countries in 2024.
Surfshark’s Internet Shutdown Tracker records both partial and complete internet and social media shutdowns across 196 countries and territories. The company specializes in privacy and security solutions aimed at protecting digital freedoms.
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