Internet shutdowns are limitations of communication technologies, including popular social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as SMS and phone calls, often to control access to information. Shutdowns are organized to prevent people from information exchange during elections, protests, school examinations, and internal and external weaponized conflicts, and happening in different countries worldwide on a national or a particular region of country level, lasting from a few hours to several years.
We often see the internet as a network connecting the most remote parts of the world together. Still, shutdowns and other internet freedom limitations prevent people from accessing information, often in tough moments of their lives when civil rights are violated. In this project, I wanted to inform people interested in world politics and human rights, and maybe a wider audience, about this problem and raise awareness of how the internet is being disconnected.
The world map highlights black countries where shutdowns were registered from 2019 to 2024. Every case of shutdown through these years is represented by colorful pixels inside the countries. The texts and diagrams provide a deeper understanding of what shutdowns are, where, and how they are organized.
The layout and pixelized representation (using the grid tool) were created with QGIS, then labels and diagrams were added in Adobe Illustrator. The map is based on #KeepItOn STOP dataset by Access Now, one of the leading non-profit organizations for internet civil rights. The pixelized styling and flat screen color palette were chosen to visually represent the internet, computers, disconnection, and no signal topics, enhancing the map’s thematic relevance.
Have a look at all the interesting details in the larger png.
The map was created as part of the course Project Map Creation at TU Wien in summer semester 2024.
Student: Kseniia Nifontova