Internet Shutdowns Becoming Routine for Authoritarian Regimes, Panel Says

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.

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