NetBlocks

NetBlocks is a watchdog organization that monitors cybersecurity and the governance of the Internet.^[1][2] The service was launched in 2017 to monitor Internet freedom.^[3]

NetBlocks

Formation	2017; 6 years ago (2017)
Founder	Alp Toker
Type	Social business
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Methods	Technology journalism
Website	netblocks.org

Work

Projects

NetBlocks publishes original reporting on Internet governance and sustainable energy, providing tools to the public to observe possible Internet restrictions and to estimate the economic consequences of network disruptions.^[4][5] NetBlocks has established a high level of trust in communities around the world, facilitating the spread of information during emergencies and Internet censorship events, according to peer-reviewed research published in the scientific journal Nature.^[6]

Events

On 25 November 2017, NetBlocks and the Digital Rights Foundation provided information about the nationwide censorship of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media services by the Pakistani government following the Tehreek-e-Labaik protests.^[7][8][9]

During the 2018–2019 Sudanese protests, NetBlocks stated that the Sudanese government maintains "an extensive Internet censorship regime" following the censorship of social media websites in the country.^[10] Following the 2019 Gabonese coup d'état attempt, NetBlocks monitored censorship in the country.^[11] The cost of the three-day Internet shutdown following the Zimbabwean fuel protests was also calculated to cost Zimbabwe an estimated $17 million.^[12]

The block of Wikipedia in Venezuela and other censorship incidents during the Venezuelan presidential crisis were also monitored by NetBlocks, with several international media outlets covering the situation with NetBlocks' work.^{[13][14][15][16][17][18]}

In July 2020, as the Somalian Parliament passed a motion of no confidence in Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, NetBlocks reported that Internet access had been disrupted impeding media coverage of political and public reactions to events on the ground, presenting evidence contradicting network operator Hormuud Telecom's claim that the outage was due to "windy conditions."^[19][20]

From February 2022, NetBlocks set up a reporting initiative providing extensive coverage on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, documenting Russian efforts to disable communications at nuclear sites and in conflict zones.^[21][22][23]

References

1. "Our Work". NetBlocks.
2. "Ethiopia re-opens the country's internet". BBC World Service (Interview).
3. . NetBlocks. 14 September 2017. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
4. "Projects and Initiatives". NetBlocks. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
5. "NetBlocks Tracks Venezuela's Power Outage". IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
6. Thomas, Pamela Bilo; Saldanha, Emily; Volkova, Svitlana (2021-04-14). "Studying information recurrence, gatekeeping, and the role of communities during internet outages in Venezuela". Scientific Reports. 11 (1): 8137. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-87473-8. ISSN 2045-2322. S2CID 233241884.
7. "DRF and NetBlocks find blanket and nation-wide ban on social media in Pakistan and demand it to be lifted immediately". Digital Rights Foundation. 2017-11-26. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
8. "Activists assail blanket ban on social media". The Nation. 2017-11-27. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
9. "All you need to know about nation-wide internet disruptions during dharna". Samaa TV. 2017-11-27. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
10. "Sudan restricts social media access to counter protest movement". Reuters. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
11. . BBC News. 7 January 2019. Archived from the original on 22 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
12. Griffiths, James (18 January 2019). "The internet is more vulnerable than you realize". CNN. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
13. "NetBlocks: Reporta bloqueo a redes sociales tras protesta de militares en Venezuela". Voice of America (in Spanish). 21 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
14. Laya, Patricia; Rosati, Andrew (21 January 2019). "Venezuela Detains Rebel Guardsmen, Sparking Protests in Caracas". Bloomberg. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
15. "Venezuela Blocks Wikipedia After Maduro 'Ousted' From Article, Internet Watchdog Says". Haaretz. 13 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
16. Pineda Sleinan, Julett (21 January 2019). . Efecto Cocuyo. Archived from the original on 23 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
17. "Venezuela Wikipedia'ya erişimi engelledi". Deutsche Welle (in Turkish). 14 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
18. "El régimen chavista bloqueó el acceso a Twitter e Instagram por los incidentes en Caracas". Infobae (in European Spanish). 21 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
19. "Somalia internet blackout after parliament votes to remove prime minister". NetBlocks. 2020-07-26.
20. "Somalia sees internet blackout after prime minister ousted". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-05-10.
21. "Weekend Profile: Alp Toker, chronicler of Ukraine's embattled internet". The Economist. 2022-03-25.
22. "Ukraine Crisis: Support Connectivity and Internet Rights". NetBlocks.
23. "Outages in Ukraine Demonstrate the Internet's Role in Modern Conflict". Viterbi Conversations in Ethics. 2022-02-28.