EP162: Does Shutting Down the Internet Actually Work in 2025? Is It a Successful Tool for Regime Preservation and Its Geopolitical Ripples

Summary:

In 2025, internet shutdowns are a global trend used by authoritarian regimes to suppress dissent, particularly evident in Myanmar's record number of blackouts. These shutdowns employ techniques like BGP withdrawals and DPI throttling, disrupting communication, controlling narratives, and intimidating populations. This tactic has geopolitical impacts, straining regional relations, disrupting economies, and deepening international divides. Despite their intent, shutdowns often result in economic self-harm, radicalization, and offline resistance, alongside severe human costs like stalled aid and crippled healthcare. Countermeasures involving VPNs, satellite internet, and international advocacy are emerging, raising concerns about digital rights versus normalization of this repressive tactic. The long-term effects of internet shutdowns, balancing security with digital freedom, remain a point of contention.