Internet service interruptions in Lebanon are increasing in frequency and becoming the norm. Access via landlines and mobile data is affected across all regions in the country. The argument used to justify these outages is power cuts at local transmission stations. At the Internet Society Lebanon Chapter, we estimate that the direct and indirect costs […]
Over the past couple of weeks we have observed multiple incidents of artificial Internet limitations in Iran. These incidents are reported to be connected to local unrest. We collect data and analysis on Internet shutdown events occurring around the world, and look at the economic and human impact of these actions. Timeline Regional shutdowns On […]
A new report, Internet Shutdowns to Prevent Cheating During Exams: The Impact on Society and Economy in the MENA Region, has been launched today by SMEX, a Lebanese NGO that works to advance self-regulating information societies in the MENA region. The report comes after another summer of Internet shutdowns throughout the region, which saw Internet […]
Iran has a notable history of maintaining a tight grip over the Internet within the country. Since 2009, there has been an increasing number of Internet shutdowns in Iran, ranging from local and regional events to a near total national blackout in November 2019. During this event, the Iranian government shut down the Internet for […]
The devastating real-life effects of Internet shutdowns on the lives and rights of millions of people are vastly under-appreciated and deserve much greater attention, says a new report on Internet shutdowns, published by The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN-OHCHR). Internet shutdowns create significant obstacles that damage economies, democratic processes, […]
Internet access is an essential part of life for many people around the globe – but not during the school exam period in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This is the message that is conveyed by the ongoing disruption of Internet access for millions of people, in part or in full, to stop students cheating on public exams in several countries, including Syria, Sudan, Jordan, and Algeria. Often used as […]
General entrance exams in Sudan took place from 11-22 June, 2022, and alongside them came Internet shutdowns implemented as a measure to combat cheating. As has occurred over the last few years, Internet access was disrupted for everyone, rendering Sudan out of reach from the world for a few hours on each day with scheduled […]
General entrance exams in Syria took place from 30 May – 21 June, 2022, and alongside them came Internet shutdowns implemented as a measure to combat cheating. As is the case since 2016, Internet access was disrupted for everyone, rendering Syria out of reach from the world for a few hours on each day with […]
Every year, throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, millions of people are cut off from the Internet for lengthy periods while students take their school exams.In many countries in the region, national school exams are a major annual event. They can have a huge impact on people’s futures and the results usually […]
