A woman walks past an Ethio Telecom office in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, Nov. 9, 2015. (Photo Reuters)
Ethiopians have been unable to reliably reach Twitter and Facebook since Tuesday, and other services may also be affected. Restricting internet access is a common tactic for the government when protests break out and security forces crack down.
This is so tragic. Five of the 16 people killed in Calanqo by Ethiopian military forces on Monday were members of the same family – ages range from 15 to 60 years old. https://t.co/z8LolFea5G
— Mohammed Ademo (@OPride) December 14, 2017
The government has justified such action in the past as a response to unverified reports and rumors, noting that social media become flooded with unconfirmed claims and misinformation when violence erupts. But blocking internet access also makes it more difficult for citizens to assemble peacefully or monitor what’s happening on the ground.
Full control
Unlike most nations, which have multiple internet service providers (ISPs), Ethiopia’s sole ISP, Ethio Telecom, has almost full control over internet access in the country. To block traffic to and from certain websites, or even shut down access altogether, the government needs only to coordinate with Ethio Telecom, a state-owned company. In contrast, it would require the cooperation of more than 2,600 ISPs to shut down internet access in the United States.
Ethiopia is one of 61 countries with only one or two ISPs, according to a 2012 report by Dyn, a company focused on internet traffic and data management. Countries with few ISPs face the severe risk of an internet disconnection, according to Dyn, because these providers often are state-owned, making it easy for repressive governments to control and monitor access.
But even when a government shuts down the internet, information can trickle in and out of a country via dial-up connections on international phone lines and satellite links.
In the case of a partial shutdown in which a government blocks access to certain websites and services, citizens can still gain access to blocked content via proxies and virtual private networks (VPNs).
—
Related:
Ethiopia faces social media blackout after new ethnic unrest (AP)
Join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook.
