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.
Authorities are increasingly intervening directly in telecommunications infrastructure, preventing communication before it begins rather than filtering content after the fact, she said.
Speakers pointed to Iran as an example of how shutdowns fit into broader systems of control. Authorities have built a national information network separate from the global internet and use a cyber police force to monitor social media activity, Elise Auerbach, Iran country specialist at Amnesty International USA, said.
Iran has repeatedly imposed shutdowns during protests, including in 2019 and more recently through 2025 and 2026, limiting outside visibility into events on the ground, she said.
Across cases, governments use shutdowns to achieve three goals: conceal events, disrupt communication and control narratives, Elina Castillo Jimenez, advocacy and policy advisor at Amnesty International, said.
Cutting connectivity blocks documentation and makes it harder for people to organize or verify information.
Shutdowns are also becoming more targeted. Governments are disconnecting specific SIM cards, cutting SMS access and introducing whitelist systems that limit users to approved platforms, Collings said.
Those measures turn the internet into a managed system with conditional access, rather than an open network.
Even when connectivity remains available, it becomes more expensive and uneven. VPN access can cost five to 20 times more than standard data, while satellite terminals can reach about $2,000, panelists said.
“In complete shutdowns [[there is] not much VPNs can do,” Collings said.
Authorities are also criminalizing attempts to bypass shutdowns, Auerbach said, including arrests tied to distributing satellite equipment, selling VPN services or sharing information online.
Governments often frame those actions as national security threats, extending shutdowns beyond infrastructure into legal enforcement.
Emerging technologies such as direct-to-cell satellite connectivity could expand access, Castillo Jimenez said, but they remain limited and require further development.
Panelists said shutdowns are becoming part of a broader pattern of digital authoritarianism, as governments seek greater control over how information flows online.
They urged preparation ahead of disruptions, including downloading VPNs, documenting events early and advocating for accountability.
Member discussion