<div dir="ltr"><p>Hello Glenn / All,</p>
<p>Thank you for raising this important issue. Unfortunately, the frequent shutdown of the internet is becoming a recurring and deeply troubling trend, with far-reaching consequences for society, communities, nations, regions, and the global ecosystem. The increasing pace and normalization of these shutdowns clearly call for urgent and sustained attention.</p>
<p>What is particularly concerning is that these actions are often initiated or enforced by governments—one arm of the internet governance multistakeholder system. As highlighted in the article <em>“Internet Shutdowns Becoming Routine for Authoritarian Regimes, Panel Says,”</em> this trend illustrates the significant autonomy governments currently exercise in determining how, when, where, and by whom the internet is used. This growing imbalance of power is alarming.</p>
<p>The critical question, therefore, is: <strong>what can the other stakeholders within the multistakeholder model—civil society, the private sector, the technical community, and academia—do to restore balance and prevent excessive or unilateral government control over the internet?</strong> Addressing this challenge requires a collective, collaborative, and principled approach.</p>
<p>As aptly noted by <strong><span class="gmail-hover:entity-accent entity-underline gmail-inline gmail-cursor-pointer gmail-align-baseline"><span class="gmail-whitespace-normal">Elina Castillo Jimenez</span></span></strong>, Advocacy and Policy Advisor at <strong><span class="gmail-hover:entity-accent entity-underline gmail-inline gmail-cursor-pointer gmail-align-baseline"><span class="gmail-whitespace-normal">Amnesty International</span></span></strong>, governments often use internet shutdowns to achieve three core objectives: <em>to conceal events, disrupt communication, and control narratives</em>. The human rights, economic, and democratic costs of these actions are profound.</p>
<p>This raises a fundamental concern: are we gradually accepting a reality in which governments wield near-absolute control over the internet? If so, does this not represent a serious threat to openness, accountability, and the very principles upon which the global internet was built?</p>
<p>These are questions we must confront openly and urgently, before internet shutdowns become an unquestioned norm rather than an exceptional and contested measure.</p><p>Thanks.</p><p>Nkoro, N. E</p><p><br></p></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sat, Apr 18, 2026 at 5:13 PM Glenn McKnight via Chapter-delegates <<a href="mailto:chapter-delegates@elists.isoc.org">chapter-delegates@elists.isoc.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div><a href="https://broadbandbreakfast.com/internet-shutdowns-becoming-routine-for-authoritarian-regimes-panel-says/" target="_blank">https://broadbandbreakfast.com/internet-shutdowns-becoming-routine-for-authoritarian-regimes-panel-says/</a></div><div><br></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div>Glenn McKnight, MA </div><div>Virtual School of Internet Governance </div>Chief Information Officer<div><a href="http://www.virtualsig.org" target="_blank">www.virtualsig.org</a> </div><div><b>YOUR SOURCE FOR INTERNET GOVERNANCE EDUCATION </b></div><div><b>Mobile  437-237-4655</b></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div>
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</blockquote></div><div><br clear="all"></div><div><br></div><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><p style="color:rgb(34,34,34);margin:0in;line-height:16.8667px;font-size:11pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt">Best regards,</span></p><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136)">Nkoro, N. E.,</div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profnkoro" style="color:rgb(66,133,244);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt"> |</span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt"> </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nkoroessangnkoro/" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt"> |</span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt"> </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/profnkoro" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">Instagram</a><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt"> |</span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt"> </span><a href="https://www.twitter.com/profnkoro" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div></div><font size="1"><span style="color:rgb(11,83,148)"><i><b>The greatest happiness we could ever derived in life, depends on how well we serve others for their satisfaction.</b></i></span></font><br></div></div>