The Sound of the Silenced: Inside the Global Fight to Keep the Internet On

What happened

• The #KeepItOn coalition launched the “Sound of the Silenced” initiative to mark the 10th anniversary of their work, featuring eight firsthand accounts illustrating how shutdowns isolate communities.
• The first recorded internet shutdown occurred in Guinea in 2007, followed by actions in Iran and Egypt to suppress protests.
• In March 2016, the coalition drafted the first official definition of an internet shutdown at the RightsCon conference.
• The UN Human Rights Council adopted a landmark resolution in July 2016 denouncing internet shutdowns as human rights violations.
• Since 2016, the coalition has documented more than 2,100 shutdowns across 100 countries.

Why it matters for me

Internet shutdowns can mean life-threatening risks for communities. These disruptions isolate people and endanger lives, especially during conflict or political crises. The fight is crucial because as lives become more digitally interconnected, defending our online rights is just as important as defending them offline.

What to remember

• Internet shutdowns are intentional disruptions of communications, often used by governments to exert control over information flow.
• Advocacy has led to legal victories, including rulings declaring government-imposed shutdowns illegal in countries like Togo and Senegal.
• The fight requires collective efforts from governments, tech giants, and everyday citizens to prevent digital blackouts.

Source: Original article

Source: www.techradar.com