17 INTERNET SHUTDOWNS IN 2024 Y ouTube is the main platform where I make a living and search for relevant content in my spare time. Almost every week I google about the state of YouTube blockings in Russia and try to predict the date when the final verdict will be made regarding it by the authorities. Discord is no less a significant loss for me, through it I used to communicate with my colleagues and friends who are in other countries. Other platforms cannot provide me with such quality of communication and comfort. Yes, I am still able to bypass all the blockings, but this only made me hate the censorship body that probably makes money with these blockings. Content creator Russia testimony collected in January 2025 A s an Open Source Intelligence Investigator (OSINT) analyst, the internet is essential to my work. My role involves conducting research, writing articles, and debunking disinformation on social media platforms like X. On the day of the riots, I was in my office and found myself unable to book an online cab, make online transactions, or even contact my family to let them know I was safe. This was the longest [nationwide] internet shutdown in Pakistan's history. Despite the government's repeated claims that the internet had been restored, on the ground, it was not. Additionally, without any prior notice, the government blocked access to X citing national security reasons, which is crucial for my work. Although we've tried to use VPNs to access X, the government’s recent testing of a firewall purchased from China has made connecting to VPNs increasingly difficult. This has further hampered my ability to carry out my professional responsibilities. OSINT analyst Islamabad, Pakistan testimony collected in August 2024 T he mother who raised me lives in Annobón in critical health, along with a paralyzed son who is equally ill, not to mention sisters and nephews also in poor health. With the unrest, the military presence, and the abuses, it has been, and continues to be, extremely worrying not being able to communicate with them. It’s incredibly disheartening and very frustrating to spend time trying to call. Sometimes, the call seems to go through, but you hear strange voices telling you the phone is being intercepted. It is sad and distressing. Midwife Annobón, Equatorial Guinea testimony collected in October 2024