Internet Shutdowns in Africa: Technology, Rights and Power (Digital Africa) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1350464295 ISBN 13: 9781350464292

Publisher: Zed Books (UK), 2025

Synopsis

This open access book provides ten in-depth case studies of state-sponsored internet shutdowns across all regions of Africa. In so doing, it offers the first-ever comparative analysis of how African states use internet shutdowns as tools to close civic space, suppress opposition, and maintain power.

Authored entirely by African researchers, Internet Shutdowns in Africa shows how shutdowns are used as a tactic of war, to blackout news of state violence, or to disrupt opposition protests. At the same time, the findings gathered here demonstrate the wide variety of forms these shutdowns take: they can be nationwide or localised; they can target a specific social media platform or website; or they can avoid the appearance of a complete shutdown by throttling connection speeds; and all of these types of shutdowns can last weeks, months, or even years. Ultimately, the book provides a unique comparative assessment of the dramatic economic, social, and political consequences of shutdowns – some intentional and some unintended - as well as on how different demographic groups are affected in very different ways, all of which produces actionable recommendations.

The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.

About this title

About the Authors

Felicia Anthonio is the #KeepItOn Campaign Manager at Access Now, a global campaign of over 300 organisations that fights against internet shutdowns.

Tony Roberts is a Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Sussex, where he works on digital inequalities and digital rights. He is currently the Principal Investigator on the GCRF-UKRI-funded African Digital Rights Network.

Edition details

• Publisher: Zed Books (UK)
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1350464295
• ISBN 13: 9781350464292
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304
• Editor: Felicia Anthonio, Tony Roberts