Friday Digest #14: Internet Shutdowns Set To Cost $8 billion in 2024
Hi, welcome back to Top10VPN’s Week in Review. Sorry we couldn’t publish anything last week as I was laid up in bed and the rest of the team were hard at work publishing our live Cost of Internet Shutdowns tracker.
Our new report covers all major government-imposed internet shutdowns since the beginning of the year. And although it’s only been two months, there’s already been 33 shutdowns in 15 countries, costing the global economy a staggering $1.53 billion.
This week, we’ll take a closer look at some of the most significant internet shutdowns that have occurred in the past two months and look ahead to what might be in store for the rest of the year.
As ever, please get in touch at resesearch@top10vpn.com if you have any suggestions for future editions. You can also now keep up to date with VPN news and our latest research on WhatsApp.
Since we started tracking internet shutdowns in 2019, we've documented over 600 disruptions across 56 countries costing a combined $53 billion.
2022 stands out as a particularly disruptive year, with shutdowns causing nearly $25 billion in economic losses. Russia's social media restrictions were a major factor, contributing a massive $21.59 billion to that total.
Unfortunately, 2024 looks set to be another costly year, with internet shutdowns on track to cost the global economy over $8 billion based on the first two months of the year.
Recent internet shutdowns in Sudan, India, and Pakistan show the fight to stop internet shutdowns is far from over, with disruptions occurring during elections, protests and conflicts.
Sudan's internet access has been precarious throughout the first few months of 2024 due to the ongoing civil war. Armed forces have been accused of deploying internet shutdowns, disrupting communication and hindering the flow of information at a particularly volatile time.
The lack of internet access has further exacerbated the already dire situation in Sudan, making it difficult for people to connect with aid organizations and share vital updates about the conflict.
Meanwhile in India, mobile internet access was cut off in response to farmer protests in the northern state of Haryana. This shutdown, impacting over 7 million internet users, came at a hefty cost of $212 million, making it the most expensive internet outage in India so far this year.
Myanmar has also been disproportionately affected by internet outages in 2024, incurring a huge cost of $793.6million so far. This disruption to internet access isn't new, with some areas experiencing restrictions dating back to 2021.
Despite local efforts to bring the internet back online, many townships in north-west Myanmar remain offline.
In Pakistan, authorities restricted internet access several times during the run up to the election. Social media apps have been restricted despite the government claiming they would allow uninterrupted access.
In response, we documented a huge surge in VPN demand as people sought ways to stay connected and access information. The rise in VPN downloads reflects a growing need for citizens to circumvent internet limitations in Pakistan.
With elections scheduled in over 60 countries this year, it’s likely this is just the beginning for internet shutdowns in 2024. We’ll continue to document where and when they occur and hope that by highlighting their economic costs, governments will think twice before restricting access to this fundamental resource.
What We’ve Been Reading
The Guardian: Court orders maker of Pegasus spyware to hand over code to WhatsApp
A US court has ordered NSO Group, the maker of Pegasus spyware, to hand over code to WhatsApp as part of an ongoing lawsuit. The spyware can extract information from a target's phone without their permission or knowledge. NSO has argued that Pegasus helps law enforcement and intelligence agencies fight crime, but its technology has repeatedly been used to target dissidents, journalists, and human rights activists.
TechCrunch: Elon Musk switched on X calling by default: Here’s how to switch it off
Elon Musk enabled X calling by default, which leaks your IP address and isn't end-to-end encrypted. To protect your privacy, you can turn it off in settings or use the "Enhanced call privacy" setting. Alternatively, consider using a different app with better privacy practices, like Signal.
Access Now: More accountability: U.S. blocklists Sandvine for enabling digital repression in Egypt
In a huge development, the US has blacklisted Sandvine, a Canadian company, for supplying technology to the Egyptian government that enabled widespread digital repression. Sandvine's technology was used to block websites, target activists, and inject spyware in Egypt.
9to5Mac: Apple on EU iOS changes: Has done its best but DMA makes users less safe
Apple has released iOS 17.4 with changes required by the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). Changes include allowing third-party app stores and alternative payment methods. Apple says it has implemented safeguards to protect user security and privacy but acknowledges it won't be as strong as the current system.
Valentin Hoffman et. al.: Dialect prejudice predicts AI decisions about people’s character, employability, and criminality
A new study has revealed yet more hidden biases in LLMs. The study found that models judged people who speak African American English more negatively, despite showing positive bias towards African Americans in general. This bias can have real-world consequences, and current methods to remove bias from these models might actually make it worse.
VPN News
Meduza: Russia may block Wikipedia due to article on VPNs that help reach blocked sites, says lawmaker
Russia is considering blocking Wikipedia due to an article that explains how to use VPNs to access banned websites. This comes after a new law was passed prohibiting the promotion of tools that help circumvent internet restrictions. A Russian lawmaker argues that the Wikipedia article violates this law, potentially leading to the platform's ban.
Kyiv Post: Russia Implements Ban on VPN Advertisement Ahead of Presidential Election
Russia banned advertisements for VPN services, which are used to bypass internet restrictions, in the lead-up to the presidential election. This move is seen as an attempt to restrict information flow and control access to information. While VPNs themselves are still legal to use, critics argue the ban violates freedom of expression and hinders transparency.
SC Magazine: Chinese threat actors continue exploiting Ivanti VPN flaws using new malware
A Chinese threat actor group, UNC5325, is exploiting a new vulnerability in Ivanti VPN appliances to deploy malware. This comes after Ivanti patched previous vulnerabilities, highlighting the ongoing efforts by attackers to exploit these systems.
Top10VPN in the News
Al Jazeera: Internet: Pakistan’s new political battleground
The Hacker News: New Wi-Fi Vulnerabilities Expose Android and Linux Devices to Hackers
The Daily Upside: Biden Wants to Stop Foreign Spies Buying Americans’ Data
Android Headlines: New WiFi vulnerabilities open home, enterprise networks to attack