Internet shutdowns by governments are becoming more frequent and systematic. Access Now, a human rights group focused on an open and free Internet, documented 56 internet shutdowns in 18 countries last year, a spike from the 15 shutdowns reported in 2015.
"We first saw this as an issue during the Egypt uprising in early 2011 when telcos shut off all domestic access to the internet," noted Peter Micek, global policy and legal counsel for Access Now. Most regions have been hit with an internet shutdown which can last anywhere from a few hours to weeks. Brazil, Malaysia, Algeria, Turkey, India, and North Korea all experienced at least one shutdown in the past two years.
Shutdowns vary in execution, from limited blocks on certain social media sites to putting entire towns offline. When they do occur, government authorities often cite national security as their primary motivation. Julie Owono, head of the Africa desk at Internet Without Borders, notes "most documented shutdowns occurred within an intense political context, be it contested elections or citizens protesting in the streets." For instance, months after a failed coup in Turkey, users in the country reported repeated blocks on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.
Read more on VICE News
from vice http://ift.tt/2lXtuzf
via cheap web hosting
No comments:
Post a Comment