Access Now, the digital rights organization, reports that indefinite internet shutdowns are increasing each year, as those behind them seek to keep entire populations permanently disconnected. The group's reporting, titled "Deliberately forgotten: internet shutdowns with no end," points to a shift from short, event-linked blackouts toward cutoffs with no announced end date.
For anyone who relies on privacy tools, this raises a practical question about indefinite internet shutdowns and VPN access: what can these tools do when the network itself is switched off? The honest answer is less than many people assume. This article explains why, and what you can do while connectivity still exists.
Why indefinite shutdowns are rising
Access Now's central finding is that perpetrators are not just interrupting connectivity for a day or a week. They are trying to keep whole populations offline for good. The source summary does not break down the reasons in detail, so we will not guess at specific motives or cases here.
The distinction matters. A temporary shutdown, such as one tied to an election or a protest, ends and people get back online. An indefinite shutdown removes the expectation of an end date. Households can't plan, businesses can't operate online, and people lose contact with relatives abroad. Because these cutoffs are open-ended, they can also fade from international attention, which is the idea behind the word "forgotten" in Access Now's title.
Where populations are cut off longest
Access Now's summary describes a growing trend but does not list specific regions in the text available to us, so we will not name places or attach numbers to it. For specific countries, durations and figures, read the full report directly from Access Now.
What can be said in general is that the longest shutdowns tend to affect people with the fewest alternatives: those with limited access to other networks, little money for workarounds, and no easy way to cross a border to get a signal. Long cutoffs also tend to fall hardest on people who depend on the internet for news, banking, healthcare information and contact with family.
Indefinite internet shutdowns and VPN access: what works and what doesn't
It helps to separate two situations that are often lumped together.
Blocking and throttling. In some places the network stays up, but authorities filter specific sites, apps or protocols. Here a VPN, Tor or a Tor bridge can sometimes help, because they wrap your traffic so it is harder to identify and block. Some governments respond with deep packet inspection, which tries to recognize and block circumvention traffic itself, so this is an ongoing cat-and-mouse game.
Full shutdowns. When the connection is cut off at the network level, there is nothing for a VPN to ride on. A VPN is a way of routing traffic through another server. It is not an independent connection. Tor works the same way: it needs a working path to the outside, and bridges are designed to disguise that path, not to create one. If mobile data, broadband and Wi-Fi uplinks are all down, these tools have nothing to connect to.
So VPNs, Tor and bridges are best understood as tools for restricted internet, not for absent internet. That is the key limit for readers who assume that installing one app guarantees access in a blackout.
There is also a legal and personal safety dimension. In some jurisdictions, using circumvention tools can carry penalties, and carrying certain apps on your phone can draw attention. Weigh your own risk before relying on any tool.
How to prepare before a blackout
Because the tools above generally have to be set up while you are still online, preparation is the most realistic form of protection. None of this guarantees access, but it improves your odds of staying informed and reachable.
- Install circumvention tools early. Set up a VPN you have vetted, and consider the Tor Browser and information on bridges, before you need them. App stores and download sites are often among the first things blocked.
- Keep installers offline. Store copies of installers on a USB drive or SD card so you can share them with others without a connection.
- Plan offline communication. Agree with family and friends on a fallback: a meeting place, a time to check in, or a trusted contact in another country who can relay messages.
- Download essentials. Save offline maps, important documents, medical information and key phone numbers on paper and on your device.
- Know your risks. Check whether circumvention tools are restricted where you live, and consider who could see what is on your phone.
- Support documentation. If you can do so safely, keep records of outages, since groups tracking shutdowns rely on accurate reports.
What This Means For You
If you live somewhere with stable, open internet, indefinite shutdowns may feel distant, but the reporting is a reminder that connectivity is not guaranteed everywhere. If you travel to, work in or have family in a place at risk of blackouts, the lesson is practical: tools only help if they are in place before the cutoff. If you are not directly affected, understanding the limits of VPNs and Tor helps you read news about shutdowns more accurately and avoid advice that oversells what one app can do.
Takeaways
Access Now's finding that indefinite shutdowns are rising each year underlines a hard truth: no tool can restore a connection that a state has removed. When it comes to indefinite internet shutdowns and VPN access, treat circumvention software as one layer in a wider plan, not a guarantee.
- Set up circumvention tools and save installers offline now, not during a blackout.
- Build an offline communication plan with family and close contacts.
- Understand the legal and personal risks where you are.
- Read Access Now's full report for specifics on affected regions and timelines.
A few minutes of preparation while the network is up can make a real difference if it goes dark.
