Cloudflare shared the results of research on global cases of Internet connection interference. Approximately 20% of all connections unexpectedly break off before the exchange of useful information begins, resembling a phone call abruptly cut off before a conversation starts. Users often find it challenging to discern the cause of such interruptions – whether due to technical failure, error, or the intervention of a third party.
Special signatures were developed during the study to recognize interventions in connections, aiding in identifying when external systems deliberately block access to content.
The reasons behind these interventions vary, with companies blocking access to harmful sites, Internet providers complying with court decisions, and governments imposing information censorship restrictions. Despite the prevalence of such practices, there has not been a comprehensive study to assess the scale of interventions in different countries and jurisdictions.
Research findings reveal interventions worldwide, with the highest number of cases in China and India. The most instances of blocking signatures were documented in China, confirming the presence of extensive content control systems like the Great Chinese Firewall (Golden Shield).
Similar signatures were also discovered in India and several other countries. Notably, in countries like Peru and Mexico, a significant portion of interventions may be linked to specific Internet access service arrangements, such as free access to certain resources.
An illustrative incident of intervention occurred during protests in Iran in 2022, where there was a noticeable surge in connection disruptions, likely stemming from authorities limiting information access.
Another study reported that around half of the global population experienced Internet shutdowns for political reasons in 2022. Nineteen countries introduced new Internet usage restrictions last year, bringing the total number of nations implementing such repressive measures to 32.
The study from the previous year showed that in 2021, authorities deliberately disconnected the Internet at least 182 times in 34 countries, surpassing figures from 2020. Governments in countries like Burkina-Faso, Cuba, Chad, Myanmar, and Ethiopia cut off Internet access in response to protests or military conflicts. Notably, the Indian government tops the list, disconnecting the Internet in parts of the country at least 106 times.