Internet shutdowns in parts of Myanmar, Ethiopia and other conflict-affected regions have persisted or repeatedly returned over several years, according to new research published October 20 by Access Now. The digital rights organization warns that prolonged restrictions can leave populations without reliable connectivity long after an initial shutdown, complicating efforts to restore communications and essential services.

The research examines shutdowns that become enduring conditions. Drawing on anonymized testimony collected between 2024 and 2026, Access Now documents the effects of extended disconnections across Myanmar, Sudan, Gaza and Equatorial Guinea’s Annobón island, among other locations. The accounts were gathered through its Shutdown Impact Stories project and partners in the #KeepItOn coalition, with identities withheld for security reasons.

Myanmar and Ethiopia illustrate different patterns of disruption. In Myanmar, repeated and prolonged shutdowns have accompanied armed conflict and military control over communications networks. In Ethiopia’s Tigray region, where residents previously experienced more than two years of disrupted internet access during civil war, renewed restrictions have raised concerns about further isolation. Access Now argues that official announcements ending shutdowns do not necessarily mean meaningful connectivity has been restored.

The organization has also introduced an ongoing-shutdown dashboard, intended to help researchers, journalists and civil society organizations track restrictions that remain in effect. The resource accompanies testimony describing difficulties communicating with relatives, obtaining information and maintaining livelihoods during extended outages.

Restoring connectivity involves more than lifting restrictions. Prolonged shutdowns can coincide with damaged telecommunications infrastructure, disrupted network operations and continuing government controls. These conditions complicate assessments of whether internet service has genuinely returned, particularly where intermittent access, geographic restrictions or degraded service persist.

Access Now calls for stronger international measures against prolonged shutdowns, investment in alternative connectivity, and greater attention to telecommunications infrastructure in conflict recovery and reconstruction. Its recommendations include incorporating digital communications into ceasefire arrangements and enforcing court decisions against unlawful restrictions.

The findings highlight a distinction between counting individual shutdown incidents and measuring the duration and quality of lost connectivity. For network operators, researchers and policymakers, establishing whether service has been restored requires evidence of actual network availability and usability, rather than relying solely on official declarations.