When telcos shut down the internet, they shut down protests for the government

Governments across Africa are increasingly pairing arrests and curfews with internet blackouts to blunt protest movements, with the #Keepiton coalition counting roughly 100 shutdowns across the continent since 2016. Telecom companies including MTN, Vodacom, Airtel, Tigo and Safaricom control the switches that make this possible, sometimes complying with government requests to cut service or share user data during unrest.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo, internet throttling accompanied elections and periods of political turmoil. MTN has also been linked to enabling Congo's presidential security service, which has a record of extrajudicial killings, to solicit tips on dissidents through its messaging service.

The piece notes that telcos maintain documented relationships with government figures, including former DRC President Kabila and South African President Ramaphosa, while spectrum and licensing arrangements remain largely opaque. Despite commitments under the UN Global Compact to respect human rights, transparency among these companies is reportedly declining even as demands for accountability grow.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.