SHRINKING DEMOCRACY, GROWING VIOLENCE 20 A note on methodology: why platform blocks are under-counted Platform blocks have historically been under reported, and our team has engaged in an ongoing process of updating the Shutdown Tracker Optimization Project (STOP) dataset81 to include more of these and other longstanding but previously under-counted shutdowns. Getting an accurate picture of the full scope of platform blocks underway around the world is a challenge due to the localized nature of platform preferences, limited measurement data for platforms in countries where the user base is relatively small, discrepancies when a government does not fully or consistently implement stated policies for platform blocking, and people’s regular use of VPNs and other similar tools to circumvent blocks. To correct this, Access Now is adding missing data on platform blocks, which is why countries we know to have a history of platform blocking and censorship are only now appearing on the #KeepItOn shame list — notably Qatar and the UAE.82 With this trend clearly on the rise, we will continue to invest in strengthening our documentation in this area and holding all perpetrators to account. 81 Supra note 3. 82 See Access Now (2020). COVID-19: Gulf governments must unblock all VoIP technologies. https://www.accessnow.org/press-release/gulf-unblock-voip-covid19/