In 2024, Pakistan faced the highest financial losses in the world due to internet shutdowns. The total loss was $1.62 billion, which is more than countries affected by civil wars like Sudan and Myanmar.
Global Financial Loss Due to Internet Shutdowns
Total global losses were $7.69 billion from internet shutdowns. The global disruptions lasted 88,788 hours.
| Country | Financial Loss | Duration (Hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | $1.62 billion | 9,735 hours |
| Myanmar | $1.58 billion | 20,376 hours |
| Sudan | $1.12 billion | 12,707 hours |
| Venezuela | $1.12 billion | N/A |
| Bangladesh | $796.6 million | N/A |
| India | $322.9 million | N/A |
Reasons for Shutdowns in Pakistan
In Pakistan, there were 18 deliberate internet shutdowns in 2024. The major reasons were:
- Elections
- Protests
- Information control
These disruptions lasted a total of 9,735 hours.
Costliest Shutdowns in Pakistan
The shutdown of social media platform X caused the highest loss in Pakistan, amounting to $1.34 billion. This shutdown started on February 18.
Another significant disruption took place in Balochistan, lasting from July 16 to August 21. The shutdown, caused by protests, lasted 864 hours and cost $11.8 million.
| Event | Duration | Financial Loss |
|---|---|---|
| Social media X shutdown | From Feb 18 | $1.34 billion |
| Balochistan shutdown (Protests) | July 16 – Aug 21 | $11.8 million |
Method of Calculating Losses
The Cost of Shutdown Tool (COST) by NetBlocks was used to calculate the financial losses. It considers:
- GDP of the country
- Duration of shutdown
- Population affected
Impact of Shutdowns in Other Countries
Though Pakistan faced the most financial loss, other countries like Myanmar also experienced significant disruptions. Myanmar’s shutdown lasted 20,376 hours, with a loss of $1.58 billion.
| Country | Duration (Hours) | Financial Loss |
|---|---|---|
| Myanmar | 20,376 | $1.58 billion |
| Sudan | 12,707 | $1.12 billion |
| Bangladesh | N/A | $796.6 million |
| India | N/A | $322.9 million |
Shutdowns on Social Media Platforms
The most affected social media platform was X, which had a total shutdown of 20,322 hours. TikTok was next with 8,115 hours of shutdown.
| Social Media | Shutdown Duration (Hours) |
|---|---|
| X | 20,322 |
| TikTok | 8,115 |
| Signal | 2,880 |
| 2,091 | |
| 2,010 |
This data shows how internet shutdowns have a huge impact on both the economy and access to information across Pakistan and the globe.
