What Is an Internet Blackout? Why Governments Censor the Internet

Have you ever tried to open an app or website, only to find it completely unavailable? While your first thought might be to check your WiFi connection, sometimes the problem is much bigger. On July 19, 2024, a software glitch from a single cybersecurity firm crashed over 8.5 million computers worldwide, canceling thousands of flights and disrupting 911 emergency services. This is a stark reminder of how fragile our digital world can be.

When connectivity disappears on a massive scale, it’s often called an internet outage, internet blackout, or internet shutdown. Though these terms are often used interchangeably, they have important differences. Understanding what they mean is the first step in recognizing why they happen and how they impact everyone—from individuals trying to stream movies to entire national economies.

This article will explore the differences between these terms, the causes of internet outages, why governments intentionally cause blackouts, and what you can do to prepare.

Key Takeaways

• Definitions: An internet outage is usually a technical fault. A blackout is a large-scale disruption, and a shutdown is an intentional, government-ordered block.
• Causes: The causes of internet outages range from natural disasters and cyberattacks to deliberate government censorship.
• Government Motivation: Governments often use shutdowns to control information and suppress dissent, especially during protests or elections.
• Impact: The consequences are severe, causing billions in economic losses, restricting human rights, and cutting off access to essential services.
• What You Can Do: Users, businesses, and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) like EarthLink can take steps to prepare for and respond to these disruptions.

Definitions & Terminology: Outage vs. Blackout vs. Shutdown

To understand the problem, it’s helpful to know the correct terminology. While many use these terms to mean the same thing, they each describe a different situation.

What is an internet outage?

An internet outage is typically an unintentional, temporary disruption caused by a technical problem. This could be anything from a local hardware failure to a damaged undersea cable affecting a region. For most users, this is the most common type of connectivity loss they will experience. If your home internet suddenly stops working, it’s likely a localized outage that your ISP is working to fix.

What is an internet blackout?

An internet blackout is a more severe, large-scale loss of internet access affecting a significant area or population. A blackout can be unintentional, like the 2022 Rogers Communications failure that knocked out a quarter of Canada’s internet service. However, it can also be intentional, where a government orders a complete disruption.

What is an internet shutdown?

An internet shutdown is always intentional. The Internet Society defines it as, “An intentional disruption of Internet or electronic communications, rendering them inaccessible or effectively unusable, for a specific population or within a location.” Governments use shutdowns as a tool to control the flow of information, often calling them “kill switches.”

Term	Definition	Cause	Example
Internet Outage	A temporary, often localized, service disruption.	Technical failure, accidental damage.	A construction crew accidentally cuts a local fiber optic cable.
Internet Blackout	A large-scale loss of connectivity affecting a wide area.	Can be accidental (major infrastructure failure) or intentional.	A 75-year-old woman accidentally severed a cable, taking all of Armenia offline in 2011.
Internet Shutdown	An intentional, government-ordered disruption of internet access.	Government censorship, political control.	India frequently shuts down the internet in certain regions to quell protests.

What Are the Causes of Internet Outages and Blackouts?

The causes of internet outages and blackouts are varied, ranging from simple accidents to complex, deliberate actions.

Technical and Infrastructure Failures

The internet relies on a massive physical infrastructure of cables, servers, and data centers. When any part of this system fails, it can lead to an outage.

• Natural Disasters: Events like earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods can damage critical infrastructure such as undersea cables or data centers, leading to widespread disruptions.
• Accidental Damage: Believe it or not, many outages are caused by simple accidents. In 2017, a tractor in South Africa tore through a cable, causing a half-day internet blackout for all of Zimbabwe. Even sharks have been known to bite and damage undersea cables.
• Cyberattacks: Malicious actors can target internet infrastructure. Attacks like BGP hijacking can misdirect internet traffic, effectively making large parts of the web unreachable.

Government-Mandated Shutdowns

Governments are increasingly responsible for causing internet blackouts. According to DW Akademie, governments justify shutdowns to stop the spread of information, prevent protests, or even stop cheating on exams. These shutdowns are achieved by:

• Blocking IP Addresses: Preventing access to specific websites or services.
• Throttling Bandwidth: Slowing down the internet to make it unusable.
• Ordering ISPs to Cut Service: Forcing providers like EarthLink to completely sever connections for a region or the entire country.

Why Do Governments Use Internet Blackouts and Shutdowns?

An internet blackout ordered by a government is a powerful tool for control, but it comes at a tremendous cost.

Political Control and Suppression of Dissent

The primary reason governments impose an internet shutdown is to control the public narrative and suppress dissent. During elections or protests, regimes often cut off access to social media and communication platforms to prevent organizers from mobilizing and to stop news from spreading. For example, Bangladesh faced a near-total internet blackout after a government shutdown in response to violent clashes between protesting students and police. India is the world leader in using internet shutdowns to quell unrest.

“Government-mandated Internet shutdowns have become the ‘new normal’ in many countries, primarily driven by political and national security concerns.” – The Internet Society

National Security Justifications

Governments often claim that shutdowns are necessary for national security or to prevent the spread of “fake news.” However, research from the Internet Society shows there is little evidence that shutdowns are effective. Instead, they often escalate tensions and cause widespread harm.

Why Does This Tactic Persist?

Despite international condemnation—the UN Human Rights Council has “unequivocally condemned” the practice—shutdowns continue because they are a low-cost, high-impact tool for authoritarian regimes with little fear of accountability.

The Human and Economic Impacts of Internet Blackouts

The consequences of an internet outage or blackout extend far beyond not being able to check social media.

Economic Impact

Internet shutdowns are devastating for economies. According to the Brookings Institution, the global economy lost at least $2.4 billion from shutdowns between 2015 and 2016. A more recent report from Top10VPN estimates the cost in 2023 was over $9 billion. For individuals and businesses, it means lost productivity, failed transactions, and a collapse in the digital economy.

Human Rights and Social Impact

An internet shutdown cuts people off from essential services. They can’t contact loved ones, access emergency medical information, or stay informed about critical events. In 2019, the Iranian government imposed a week-long shutdown to suppress protests, leaving citizens in an information vacuum and unable to report human rights abuses.

Impact on Users and Businesses

For users, an outage means your plans for a movie night with the best internet for streaming are ruined. For businesses, the impact is far greater. It means lost revenue, damage to reputation, and an inability to operate. This is why having a reliable connection, like EarthLink Fiber Internet, is more critical than ever.

What You Can Do to Prepare

While you can’t stop a government-ordered shutdown, you can take steps to be prepared.

For Consumers

• Have a Backup: Consider having a backup internet solution, like a mobile hotspot, if one service goes down.
• Offline Entertainment: Download movies, music, and books. An outage is a good time to remember the joys of offline entertainment.
• Emergency Plan: Maintain a list of emergency contacts and have a battery-powered radio for news updates. As recommended by experts on Medium, keeping some cash on hand is also wise, as digital payments will fail.
• Use a VPN: A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can sometimes help bypass localized blocks or censorship, though it won’t work during a full shutdown.

For ISPs and Businesses

For a provider like EarthLink, distinguishing between a technical outage and a government shutdown is crucial. A shutdown requires a legal and public response, while an outage requires a technical one. Best practices include:

• Building Resilient Infrastructure: Diversifying connections to avoid single points of failure.
• Transparent Communication: Clearly informing customers about the nature and scope of the disruption.
• Business Continuity Planning: Having a plan to maintain critical operations during an outage.

What You Can Do Should You Experience an Internet Outage

Internet blackouts, outages, and shutdowns are more than just an inconvenience; they are a growing threat to our connected world. While an internet outage is often a fixable technical issue, government-ordered shutdowns are a violation of human rights with severe economic and social costs.

By understanding the causes and impacts of these disruptions, we can better advocate for an open, reliable internet. For your part, choosing a resilient internet provider and having a personal preparedness plan are the best ways to ensure that when the screens go dark, you’re not left completely in the dark.