When repression meets resistance: internet shutdowns in 2025

In 2025, not a single day passed without an internet shutdown — a horrifying testament to the normalization of shutdowns as a tool to silence, punish, and terrorize entire populations. Together with #KeepItOn coalition partners, we documented no fewer than 313 disruptions in 52 countries last year, and conflict was the leading trigger for a third year running. Yet we also saw civil society respond with power and resilience, while regional and international actors stepped up to stop the shutdowns. Check out the highlights from our newly published report, Rising repression meets global resistance: Internet shutdowns in 2025, to learn more. Read more via Access Now

Dig deeper

India, Asia-Pacific, and the surge of internet shutdowns in 2025: 10 key takeaways

One region, half the world’s shutdowns. That’s the grim reality for people across the Asia-Pacific region. Myanmar saw the highest number of shutdowns globally, with at least 95 disruptions, while India was close behind with 65 — a shockingly high number for a democracy. In better news, however, Bangladesh took steps to outlaw shutdowns altogether, while in Nepal, the prime minister was forced to step down after his government weaponized shutdowns against protesters. The Wire digs into the region’s shutdown trends, explaining what they mean for human rights and democracy. Read more via The Wire

Iran’s internet shutdown proves we need to go beyond Starlink and VPNs

In 2025, Iran imposed the most shutdowns in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and, so far, it’s on track to do the same in 2026. With people in Iran becoming increasingly digitally isolated during active conflict, it’s imperative to explore new ways to circumvent internet restrictions, including Direct-to-Cell (D2C) satellite connectivity. As Access Now’s Marwa Fatafta explains, connecting smartphones directly to orbiting satellites could help ensure crisis emergency connectivity and provide a “lifeline for people left in the dark during shutdowns” — but we urgently need support from companies and regulators to roll out D2C in a rights-respecting way. Read more via TechRadar

“My phone is a brick”: Russians scramble for information as data blocked

Even as Russian authorities impose new blocks on Telegram, the only remaining foreign-based social media platform operating in Russia, and ban Apple ID payments, they’re also holding the Russian Internet Governance Forum in Moscow next week and repeating claims that internet restrictions improve “public safety.” But that reasoning is “not particularly convincing,” says Access Now’s Anastasiya Zhyrmont, as “disrupting civilian internet access is a blunt instrument.” Instead, she says, the restrictions represent a clear attempt to normalize cutting connectivity during “sensitive moments” — part of a “broader trajectory of digital control.” Read more via Tech Radar

Spyware’s subtle attacks

DarkSword’s GitHub leak threatens to turn elite iPhone hacking into a tool for the masses

After cybersecurity researchers disclosed Russian hackers’ use of a new toolkit, DarkSword, to target iPhone users in Ukraine, a version of the exploit was published on the code-sharing site GitHub — putting people with Apple devices running older operating systems (or not using Lockdown Mode) at risk of attack, and reigniting fears about how easy it is for such exploits to fall into the wrong hands. “This is exactly what human rights activists and digital security researchers have been warning about,” says Access Now’s Natalia Krapiva. “In the absence of effective regulation, these exploits end up in the hands of adversaries like Russia, China, Iran, or, as in the case of DarkSword, leaked online for any criminal to use.” Our advice: always update your phones as soon as possible. Read more via Cyberscoop

Commercial spyware opponents fear U.S. policy shifting

As commercial spyware proliferates worldwide, notably thanks to third-party intermediaries, concerns are growing that the U.S. government, previously a noteworthy champion for spyware accountability, is reversing course on combating the abuse of such technologies. Given that U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reactivated its contract with surveillance firm Paragon Solutions, and the government is also lifting sanctions on several Intellexa executives, it’s clear the current administration "doesn't see spyware as a problem,” warns Access Now’s Michael De Dora. Read more via Dark Reading

Predatorgate: Breaking the chain of impunity of the spyware underworld

In February, a Greek court sentenced Tal Dilian, founder of spyware firm Intellexa, and three other Intellexa executives (one of whom had been removed from the U.S. sanctions list) to prison for illegal wiretapping and privacy violations. Dilian, who is appealing his conviction, has since claimed his company provides technology exclusively to authorized government agencies, implying that the Greek government was behind the mass surveillance campaign known as “Predatorgate.” Civil society partners EDRi and Homo Digitalis unpack what this ruling means for spyware accountability, arguing for prosecution of those who order spyware attacks, not just the companies that enable them. Read more via EDRi

LEARN: “How do we stop spyware?”

If you'd like to learn how to fend off spyware attacks, join Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline and partners Global Focus and CIVICUS for a Connecting Current community call on April 7, from 3:00-4:00 pm UTC. You’ll hear from Access Now’s Hassen Selmi, as well as experts from the Share Foundation and Spyware Accountability Initiative. Register via Connecting Current

One more thing

Tunisia’s Decree law No. 54: reform needed three years on (in Arabic)

Three years ago, Tunisia adopted Decree law no. 54, purportedly to fight cybercrime. Instead, it has been used to undermine freedom of expression, crack down on press freedom, and compromise people’s right to privacy. In a new Arabic-language policy explainer, Access Now’s Aymen Zaghdoudi explains how the law has been used to criminalize and silence people who criticize the government — part of a wider trend of governments in the Arab region leveraging cybercrime laws to attack people’s digital rights. Read more via Access Now

Opportunities and other highlights

RightsCon 2026 travel and transit update

Following the escalation of the war between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, multiple countries across the Gulf region have closed their airspace, creating uncertainty around travel to Zambia for RightsCon 2026 participants planning to join us in person next month. With this in mind, our team has compiled some guidance for members of our community who may be re-evaluating their travel plans. If your in-person participation is impacted, contact [email protected]; our team is here to support you, including transitioning your participation or session online if needed. Read more via Access Now

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