India continues to hold top position in internet shutdowns: Access Now

After India, Myanmar imposed the highest total number of shutdowns in 2021, with 15 disruptions, followed by Sudan and Iran with five shutdowns in each country

India blocked or disrupted internet connection 106 times, continuing to hold the top position for the fourth year in a row, said a report by digital right advocacy group Access Now.

In 2021, authorities deliberately shut down the internet at least 182 times across 34 countries. Access Now’s latest report - The return of digital authoritarianism: internet shutdowns in 2021 - unpacks the data, trends, and stories behind a year’s worth of internet shutdowns, released today.

"With a gradual return to normalcy following the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic, we saw a dramatic resurgence of internet shutdowns1 in 2021.