Internet Shutdowns in Africa

This open access book provides ten in-depth case studies of state-sponsored internet shutdowns across all regions of Africa. In so doing, it offers the first-ever comparative analysis of how African states use internet shutdowns as tools to close civic space, suppress opposition, and maintain power.

Authored entirely by African researchers, Internet Shutdowns in Africa shows how shutdowns are used as a tactic of war, to blackout news of state violence, or to disrupt opposition protests. At the same time, the findings gathered here demonstrate the wide variety of forms these shutdowns take: they can be nationwide or localised; they can target a specific social media platform or website; or they can avoid the appearance of a complete shutdown by throttling connection speeds; and all of these types of shutdowns can last weeks, months, or even years. Ultimately, the book provides a unique comparative assessment of the dramatic economic, social, and political consequences of shutdowns – some intentional and some unintended - as well as on how different demographic groups are affected in very different ways, all of which produces actionable recommendations.

The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.

Tony Roberts is a Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Sussex, where he works on digital inequalities and digital rights. He is currently the Principal Investigator on the GCRF-UKRI-funded African Digital Rights Network.

Felicia Anthonio is Campaign Manager for #KeepItOn at Access Now, a global campaign of over 300 organisations that fights against internet shutdowns. She was formerly a programme associate at the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), where she coordinated the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), a continental network of free expression organisations in Africa. She is a member of the African Digital Rights Network and a 2019 Fellow of the African Internet Governance School (AfriSIG).