Pakistan suffered the highest financial losses globally due to internet shutdowns in 2024, incurring an estimated $1.62 billion, according to the annual report by independent VPN reviewer Top10VPN.com.
As reported by Pak Observer on Saturday, the report ranked Pakistan ahead of Myanmar ($1.58 billion) and Sudan ($1.12 billion) in terms of economic impact.
Internet disruptions in Pakistan lasted 9,735 hours, affecting approximately 82.9 million users. Extended social media blockades, particularly of X (formerly Twitter), made it the most disrupted platform globally in 2024.
The report noted that globally, deliberate internet outages cost the world economy $7.69 billion in 2024, a 15.8% decline from 2023. However, the total duration of disruptions reached a record 88,788 hours, marking a 12% increase. This included 49,101 hours of internet blackouts and 39,687 hours of social media restrictions.
Globally, 648.4 million people in 28 countries were impacted by 167 major self-imposed internet outages, the highest number of nations experiencing such disruptions in a single year. The report termed these deliberate outages as “catastrophic acts of national economic self-sabotage,” highlighting their infringement on digital rights and severe economic repercussions.
Despite the reduction in overall financial costs, the report emphasized that 2024 saw the highest number of hours and countries affected by internet shutdowns to date.
