13 | RISING REPRESSION MEETS GLOBAL RESISTANCE: INTERNET SHUTDOWNS IN 2025 III. Stories of everyday resilience How we fight to #KeepItOn When the internet goes dark during critical national moments like war or conflict, an election, or a mass protest, it is rarely an accident. Authorities deliberately cut internet access to control the narrative. What they cannot control is the resistance and resilience of those affected, determined to bear witness and demand accountability. In Tanzania, when authorities brutally cracked down on protesters during a five-day nationwide internet blackout, people documented the violence and found ways to share the truth with the world, exposing the government’s intent and actions.60 In Iran, those suffering under some of the world’s worst internet shutdowns have refused to be silenced. They are speaking out against the shutdowns and finding new ways to stay connected.61 It doesn’t stop there. There are countless examples of ordinary people refusing to back down. Following are three stories collected from #KeepItOn partners in 2025-2026, explaining in their own words how they fight internet shutdowns and work to reclaim the narrative. EXPOSING TANZANIA’S BRUTAL CRACKDOWN F or several years now, due to lawfare and state-sponsored violence like abductions, citizen journalism has been the most reliable form of reporting in Tanzania. On October 29, 2025, authorities turned their weapons on citizens on the streets, in shops, in bars and at home. Thousands were shot and killed under the cover of a complete internet blackout. Brave citizens recorded these atrocities. Despite the shutdown preventing immediate wide sharing, we were able to disseminate the information online in small batches for the rest of the world to see. When the blackout ended, this evidence became integral for documenting the crackdown.” Maria Surungi, Tanzanian Activist DOCUMENTING SHUTDOWNS UNDER MYANMAR’S MILITARY REGIME I n 2025, the military’s internet shutdowns and adoption of repressive laws have severely threatened the public’s access to information and freedom of expression. There have been a growing number of arrests related to social media posts, stricter VPN restrictions, and expanding digital surveillance. Resistance forces have also imposed internet restrictions due to security concerns. Despite these escalating crises and the intense crackdown on digital rights, the Myanmar Internet Project remains steadfast in our commitment to verifying and documenting internet shutdowns and other forms of digital repression, ensuring that these violations do not go unrecorded.” Thit Nyan, Myanmar Internet Project CHALLENGING KENYA’S INTERNET SHUTDOWNS IN COURT S hutdowns strip citizens of their fundamental right to access information that may be vital to their safety and survival. It is this reality that led the Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE), ICJ Kenya, Paradigm Initiative, ARTICLE 19, CIPESA, and other partners to take a stand. Together, we have challenged four internet shutdowns before the Kenya High Court. It’s our hope that this case will not only reclaim the right of Kenyans to remain connected but also send a clear message: such overreach cannot happen again. Ultimately, we want this case to serve as a landmark precedent for the rest of Africa and the Global Majority, providing a legal roadmap for how to defeat internet shutdowns in the halls of justice.” BAKE 60 CNN (2025). CNN finds evidence Tanzanian police killed protesters. https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/21/world/video/tanzania-policebrutality-protesters-exclusive-investigation-digvid/ 61 Iran International (2026). Witnesses say at least 200 killed in Shahrud protests. https://www.iranintl.com/en/202601204747/