Internet Shutdowns Becoming Routine for Authoritarian Regimes, Panel Says
Costly VPN and satellite tools fall short as enforcement tightens.
April 17, 2026 – Governments are increasingly using internet shutdowns as deliberate tools to control communications infrastructure, not just restrict content, a panel said Thursday.
Shutdowns now target multiple layers of connectivity, including mobile data, SMS systems and platform access, rather than simply cutting internet service entirely, said Paige Collings, policy counsel at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which hosted the discussion.
A shutdown is an intentional disruption that renders communications “ineffective, inaccessible, or unusual,” Collings said, noting governments deploy them in contexts ranging from elections to school exams.
