16 | RISING REPRESSION MEETS GLOBAL RESISTANCE: INTERNET SHUTDOWNS IN 2025 Cross-border shutdowns Following a multi-year development across a growing number of countries and colonized or occupied territories around the world, there were 18 cross-border shutdowns implemented by seven offenders, impacting people in seven countries in 2025. Through a variety of methods including airstrikes on fiber optic cables, bombing of power infrastructure, full electricity blackouts, cyberattacks, and tampering with landing stations of submarine cables, perpetrators of cross-border shutdowns kept people in the dark and compounded harm predominantly in areas already struck by persistent conflict or occupation. Perpetrator4 Legend: 4number of shutdowns 7 3 1 2 2 1 1 1 4Impacted country or territory