Pakistan ranks first globally in economic losses due to internet shutdowns, suffering $1.62 billion in 2024, surpassing conflicts in Sudan and Myanmar. The disruptions mainly stemmed from political events and protests, resulting in significant economic consequences and affecting millions of users.
Pakistan has emerged as the world leader in economic losses attributed to internet shutdowns, recording a staggering financial impact of $1.62 billion over the past year. This surpasses losses in countries facing severe civil unrest, such as Sudan and Myanmar. According to a report by Top10VPN.com, the global disruption from internet outages lasted for a total of 88,788 hours, culminating in a collective financial loss of $7.69 billion. The report noted that Pakistan accounted for a significant portion of these losses through 18 recorded incidents of deliberate internet shutdowns primarily linked to elections, information control, and protests, affecting over 82.9 million users.
In 2024, internet disruptions in Pakistan totaled approximately 9,735 hours, with the ongoing shutdown of the platform X since February 18 posing the most significant financial blow, estimated at $1.34 billion. Following this, authorities in Balochistan imposed internet restrictions from July 16 to August 21 due to protests, costing an estimated $11.8 million. The assessment of these economic impacts was facilitated by the Cost of Shutdown Tool developed by NetBlocks, which employs methodologies outlined by the Brookings Institution and CIPESA to gauge the economic ramifications of internet disruptions.
Globally, government-enforced internet shutdowns occurred for various reasons, including military coups and protests, with Asia being notably impacted, primarily due to the regulations in Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India. In this context, Myanmar recorded the second-highest costs with shutdowns lasting 20,376 hours costing $1.58 billion; Sudan followed closely with $1.12 billion in losses. Additionally, the social media platform X experienced the greatest number of total outages, surpassing 20,000 hours; other prominent platforms endured significant downtimes as well.
The topic of internet shutdowns highlights a pressing concern regarding freedom of expression and economic stability. Governments often resort to these measures as a means to exert control during conflicts, political unrest, or major events such as elections, which can severely disrupt the economy of a nation. The data presented in the report from Top10VPN.com signifies not only the economic toll of these actions but also underscores patterns of censorship that can affect a substantial portion of a population, as seen in the case of Pakistan. Understanding the scope of these shutdowns and their repercussions is vital in discussions about digital rights and governance.
In summary, the report by Top10VPN.com positions Pakistan at the forefront of economic losses resulting from internet shutdowns, with substantial implications for millions of citizens. The data illustrates the increasing frequency and duration of such disruptions, alongside their severe economic ramifications. The findings call into question governmental practices around internet censorship and highlight the broader concern regarding digital rights and economic impacts on society.
Original Source: www.dawn.com
