Global Internet Censorship Trends

A visual analysis of censorship patterns, blocked content, and regional impacts in 2024

Regional Censorship Intensity

Level 1: Limited restrictions Level 2: Single platform blocks Level 3: Multiple platform blocks Level 4: Blackouts (<24h) Level 5: Extended blackouts
Global Internet Censorship Heat Map Asia Pacific Internet Censorship Heat Map Middle East & North Africa Internet Censorship Heat Map Sub-Saharan Africa Internet Censorship Heat Map Eurasia Internet Censorship Heat Map Americas Internet Censorship Heat Map
Heat map showing internet censorship intensity based on incident frequency, severity, and population impact. [1]

Global internet freedom declined for the 14th consecutive year, with protections for human rights online diminishing in 27 of 72 countries studied. [1]

Blocked Content Categories

Top 10 Blocked Platforms Globally
Bar chart showing the most frequently blocked platforms globally, with number of blocking incidents and countries implementing blocks. [2]

Social media platforms account for 3 of the top 5 most frequently blocked services, with Twitter/X facing 92 blocking incidents across 34 countries. [5]

Platform Blocking by Region
Heatmap showing platform blocking patterns across different regions. [5]

Asia Pacific region shows the highest concentration of VPN and encryption tool blocking, while the Middle East & North Africa region has the highest rates of political and news content blocking. [3]

Shutdown Trends & Events

Timeline of Election and Protest-Related Internet Shutdowns
Timeline showing internet shutdowns related to elections and protests from 2023-2024. [2]
Average Duration of Internet Shutdowns by Region and Type
Bar chart comparing the average duration of election-related and protest-related shutdowns across regions. [2]

Protest-related shutdowns typically last 2-3 times longer than election-related ones, with Sub-Saharan Africa experiencing the highest number of election-related shutdowns. [5]

Emerging Censorship Tactics

Exam-Related Shutdowns

Countries like Kenya and Iraq implemented targeted platform blocks specifically during national examination periods, primarily affecting messaging apps like Telegram. [4]

"Splinternet" Fragmentation

China, Russia, and Turkey continued developing isolated national internets with comprehensive content restrictions, imposing large fines on VPN users. [1]

Generative AI Restrictions

New regulations emerged limiting AI tools during election periods, with varying impacts on internet freedom depending on implementation approaches. [1]

Cross-Border Censorship

Increasing instances of one country's censorship affecting neighboring nations, particularly in regions with shared infrastructure. [3]

References

  1. Freedom House (2024). Freedom on the Net 2024: The Struggle for Trust Online. Retrieved from freedomhouse.org
  2. Access Now (2025). #KeepItOn: Internet Shutdowns in 2024. Retrieved from accessnow.org
  3. OONI/iMAP (2024). State of Internet Censorship in 9 countries. Retrieved from imap.sinarproject.org
  4. NetBlocks (2024). Internet Observatory Reports. Retrieved from netblocks.org
  5. Analysis based on combined data from Freedom House, Access Now, OONI, NetBlocks, and Top10VPN (2024-2025).