Pakistan leads global financial losses from internet shutdowns, topping dollar 1.6 billion in 2024

Karachi [Pakistan] January 4, (ANI): In 2024, Pakistan ranked first globally for the financial losses incurred due to internet and social media app outages and shutdowns, with a total loss of USD 1.62 billion. This figure surpassed the losses of countries like Sudan and Myanmar, which are experiencing civil wars.

According to a report by Top10VPN.com, an independent VPN reviewer, the worldwide internet disruptions lasted for a total of 88,788 hours, leading to a combined financial loss of USD 7.69 billion as reported by Dawn.

The data, released on Thursday, focused solely on the financial impact of intentional internet shutdowns, including total blackouts, social media restrictions, and throttling, which occurred 167 times in 28 countries.

According to the Dawn, Simon Migliano, Head of Research at Top10VPN.com, described these deliberate outages as extreme forms of internet censorship that not only violate citizens’ digital rights but also constitute self-destructive acts for national economies. While the total cost of internet shutdowns decreased by 15.8 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year, their duration increased by 12 per cent. In 2023, 196 shutdowns across 25 countries lasted 79,238 hours and resulted in a loss of USD 9.01 billion.

In 2024, Top10VPN.com tracked 18 instances of intentional internet shutdowns in Pakistan, driven by three main factors: elections, “information control,” and protests. These disruptions lasted a total of 9,735 hours and affected 82.9 million users.

The most costly disruption was the ongoing shutdown of the social media platform X, which began on February 18, with an estimated impact of USD 1.34 billion. The second-highest cost was associated with the internet shutdown in Balochistan, which lasted from July 16 to August 21 in response to protests by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee in Gwadar, costing Dollar 11.8 million over 864 hours.

The report used the Cost of Shutdown Tool (COST), developed by NetBlocks, an online platform monitoring internet censorship. COST estimates the economic impact of internet shutdowns based on methodologies from the Brookings Institution and CIPESA, a digital rights group funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID).

Brookings’ 2016 study used a country’s GDP, disruption duration, and the percentage of the affected population to calculate the economic impact, with the contribution of specific apps and services to GDP also factored in.

In 2024, authorities around the world implemented internet shutdowns for various reasons, including conflicts, censorship, exam cheating prevention, protests, and military coups. Asia emerged as the most affected region, with Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India being among the top six countries impacted by these restrictions.

Myanmar experienced the second most expensive shutdown, lasting 20,376 hours and costing USD 1.58 billion. Sudan followed closely, with 12,707 hours of disruption at a cost of USD 1.12 billion. Venezuela ranked fourth with a loss of USD 1.12 billion, followed by Bangladesh at USD 796.6 million and India at USD 322.9 million.