A report by Top10VPN highlights the massive economic impact of internet shutdowns in 2024, costing the world $7.69 billion. Pakistan faced the biggest loss at $1.62 billion, followed by Myanmar with $1.58 billion and Sudan with $1.12 billion.
Governments continue to use internet blackouts to maintain control, whether to manage protests, oversee elections, or prevent exam cheating. These disruptions, however, harm both civil liberties and economic stability.
While the financial losses in 2024 were significant, they were lower than in previous years, with 2022 reaching $24.61 billion and 2023 $9.01 billion. Still, experts highlight troubling trends in 2024, including increased shutdown frequency and longer durations.
In 2024, a record 28 countries enforced internet shutdowns, resulting in 167 major outages that impacted 648.4 million people globally. The total duration of these disruptions reached 88,788 hours, a 12% increase from the previous year and the longest ever recorded.
Interestingly, while overall internet restrictions rose, social media blockades declined compared to previous years. Simon Migliano, Head of Research at Top10VPN, explained that high-profile cases, like Pakistan’s shutdown of X, drew attention, while prolonged blackouts in Myanmar and Azerbaijan received less focus over time.