Internet Shutdowns and the Law
When governments order the internet off: legal justifications, international law, accountability, and why no VPN can restore a full shutdown.
Topic
Digital rights
3 articles in the Atlas on digital rights - Internet Shutdowns and the Law; VPN Bans and Regulation: What the Law Actually Does. When governments order the internet off…
3 articles
Part of Digital Rights & Internet Freedom · Search this topic
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02
VPN Bans and Regulation: What the Law Actually Does
How laws restrict VPNs without always banning them outright: blocking obligations, app store pressure, licensing, and the gap between regulation and technical blocking.
03
How Often Do Countries Shut Down the Internet?
What an internet shutdown is, who orders one, and what the record shows: 313 documented shutdowns across 52 countries in 2025, the highest since tracking began in 2016.