22 EMBOLDENED OFFENDERS, ENDANGERED COMMUNITIES VI. Fighting back in 2024: partnerships, collaborations, community building, and resistance The record-high number of perpetrators and expanding scope of communities impacted by shutdowns across the globe is a wake-up call for all stakeholders to redouble their support for the fight to end these blatant acts of repression. Throughout 2024, civil society’s resilience and commitment to bringing these abuses to light never flagged, as the #KeepItOn coalition deployed diverse strategies to hold perpetrators accountable. Over the years, we have fought to establish new global norms against internet shutdowns, resulting in the adoption of key resolutions and frameworks, positive court rulings, and government policy reforms. Governments and regional and international groups have denounced shutdowns, and there is growing public recognition of the dangers they pose, particularly to human rights and democracy. Following are some of the strategies we used in 2024 to advance our collective efforts against shutdowns: Campaigns: #KeepItOn Election Watch: Through this initiative, the #KeepItOn coalition mobilizes people and communities to demand an open, inclusive, and secure internet throughout election periods and beyond, engaging through open letters, workshops, and dialogues. In 2024, when over a billion people went to the polls, we tracked and monitored elections in at least 25 countries, warning governments against election shutdowns and calling out those that ignored these warnings and imposed shutdowns in violation of people’s fundamental rights. #NoExamShutdown: Together with our part- ners SMEX and the Internet Society, we remained steadfast in our fight against exam-related shutdowns in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and beyond. Yet in 2024, authorities continued to disrupt access to the internet during scheduled exams, cutting off entire communities and populations. This underscores the need to expand our strategies and intensify our advocacy in 2025, particularly given the fact that this harmful practice is becoming a global issue, not limited to MENA. Shutdown Impact Stories Project: Internet shut- downs run counter to efforts to advance digital technology and innovation, particularly in Global Majority countries that are confronting the digital divide. Through this project we share the stories of people directly affected by shutdowns,91 documenting the negative impact on their rights to education, health, and social, political, and economic independence. 91 Access Now (2016). Shutdown Stories Archive. https://www.accessnow.org/tag/shutdown-stories/