Economics
Government-Ordered Internet Shutoffs Cost $2.4 Billion Last Year
- Brookings Institution estimates on 81 shutdowns in 19 nations
- Economies hurt when internet disrupted as part of censorship
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Governments pay a significant price when they disrupt access and connectivity to the Internet because such shutdowns undermine economic growth, jeopardize lives, and erode confidence, Brookings Institution said in a study.
Between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016, 81 temporary internet blackouts in 19 countries cost those economies at least $2.4 billion, Darrell M. West, director of governance studies and founding director of Brookings’ Center for Technology Innovation, wrote in the report. The figure is a conservative estimate as it doesn’t include lost tax revenue or loss of trust from investors, consumers and businesses, West said.