This campaign by AccessNow (2024) tracks and highlights government-imposed internet shutdowns that often take place before, during, or immediately following elections. Although shutdowns are sometimes assumed to take place in authoritarian governments, the data suggests that even hybrid or somewhat democratic regimes employ internet blackouts to influence public discourse and voter behavior. The #KeepItOn project offers concrete examples of how governments deploy connectivity disruptions as strategic tools to consolidate power, complementing the MIT Cybersecurity’s course module “Cybersecurity – Dilemmas, Dimensions, Decisions.” By focusing on election-specific shutdowns, this initiative complements the theme of cyberspace as a political battlefield, especially how control over information channels can impact both national security and democratic processes.
