According to Access Now’s annual KeepItOn report, governments worldwide are shutting down the internet more than ever.

The report states governments are using internet shutdowns to quash dissent, limit discussions of controversial subjects during elections, or as part of a broader strategy to damage infrastructure during military conflicts.

The report states that 167 internet shutdowns occurred in 2022. This compares to 112 in 2021, 99 in 2020, and 75 in 2019.

The leading country – as it has been for the past five years – is India, with 84 shutdowns in 2022.

According to the report, other governments are increasingly using internet shutdowns to quell dissent ahead of elections, before school exams, and to prevent the spread of what they deem to be misinformation.