# NetBlocks

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Watchdog organization

NetBlocks Formation 2017; 9 years ago (2017) Founder Alp Toker Type Social business Headquarters London, United Kingdom Methods Technology journalism Website netblocks.org

**NetBlocks** is a [watchdog organization](/source/Watchdog_organization) that monitors [cybersecurity](/source/Cybersecurity) and the [governance of the Internet](/source/Internet_governance).[1][2] The service was launched in 2017 to monitor [Internet freedom](/source/Internet_freedom).[3]

## Activities

### Projects

NetBlocks publishes original reporting on Internet governance and [sustainable energy](/source/Sustainable_energy), providing tools to the public to observe possible Internet restrictions and to estimate the economic consequences of network disruptions.[4][5] NetBlocks has established a high level of trust in communities around the world, facilitating the spread of information during emergencies and [Internet censorship](/source/Internet_censorship) events, according to peer-reviewed research published in the scientific journal *[Nature](/source/Nature_(journal))*.[6]

### Events

On 25 November 2017, NetBlocks and the [Digital Rights Foundation](/source/Digital_Rights_Foundation) provided information about the nationwide [censorship of Facebook](/source/Censorship_of_Facebook), [Twitter](/source/Censorship_of_Twitter), [YouTube](/source/Censorship_of_YouTube) and other social media services by the [Pakistani government](/source/Government_of_Pakistan) following the [Tehreek-e-Labaik protests](/source/2017_Faizabad_sit-in).[7][8][9]

During the [2018–2019 Sudanese protests](/source/2018%E2%80%932019_Sudanese_protests), NetBlocks stated that the Sudanese government maintains "an extensive Internet censorship regime" following the [censorship of social media websites in the country](/source/Internet_censorship_in_Sudan).[10] Following the [2019 Gabonese coup d'état attempt](/source/2019_Gabonese_coup_d'%C3%A9tat_attempt), NetBlocks monitored censorship in the country.[11] The cost of the three-day Internet shutdown following the [Zimbabwean fuel protests](/source/Zimbabwe_fuel_protests) was also calculated to cost [Zimbabwe](/source/Zimbabwe) an estimated $17 million.[12]

The [block of Wikipedia in Venezuela](/source/Block_of_Wikipedia_in_Venezuela) and [other censorship incidents](/source/Censorship_and_media_control_during_the_Venezuelan_presidential_crisis) during the [Venezuelan presidential crisis](/source/Venezuelan_presidential_crisis) were also monitored by NetBlocks, with several international media outlets covering the situation with NetBlocks' work.[13][14][15][16][17][18]

In July 2020, as the [Somalian Parliament](/source/Federal_Parliament_of_Somalia) [passed a motion of no confidence](/source/Hassan_Ali_Khaire#Motion_of_no_confidence_and_resignation) in [Prime Minister](/source/Prime_minister_of_somalia) [Hassan Ali Khaire](/source/Hassan_Ali_Khaire), NetBlocks reported that Internet access had been disrupted impeding media coverage of political and public reactions to events on the ground, presenting evidence contradicting network operator [Hormuud Telecom](/source/Hormuud_Telecom)'s claim that the outage was due to "windy conditions."[19][20]

From February 2022, NetBlocks set up a reporting initiative providing extensive coverage on the [Russian invasion of Ukraine](/source/2022_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine), documenting Russian efforts to disable communications at nuclear sites and in conflict zones.[21][22][23]

## Reception

Visiting NetBlocks' website used to trigger monitoring checks against websites to see if they were blocked for that visitor. However, these checks were done without the user's consent. A researcher, Collin Anderson, argued that this could potentially present a risk to users. NetBlocks said it removed the checks in 2020 because the data "just wasn't that good," [*Wired*](/source/Wired_(magazine)) reported.[24]

Anderson set up a website criticizing NetBlocks at the domain "netblocks.fyi". In September 2020, NetBlocks filed a complaint against Anderson with the [World Intellectual Property Organization](/source/World_Intellectual_Property_Organization). The [mailing list](/source/Electronic_mailing_list) OTF-Talk reacted negatively to the response, and afterwards subscribers demanded NetBlocks "release its tools as [open source software](/source/Open-source_software), make its methodologies open to audit, and publish its measurement data so it could be scrutinised". NetBlocks won the complaint in November 2020 and took over the domain.[24][25] Anderson subsequently moved the site to netblocked.org.[24]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Our Work"](https://netblocks.org/about). *NetBlocks*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Ethiopia re-opens the country's internet"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08kt9z0). *BBC World Service* (Interview).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Home"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170914182952/https://netblocks.org/). *NetBlocks*. 14 September 2017. Archived from [the original](https://netblocks.org/) on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Projects and Initiatives"](https://netblocks.org/projects). *NetBlocks*. Retrieved 22 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["NetBlocks Tracks Venezuela's Power Outage"](https://spectrum.ieee.org/netblocks-tracks-venezuelas-power-outage). *IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News*. [Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers](/source/Institute_of_Electrical_and_Electronics_Engineers).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Thomas, Pamela Bilo; Saldanha, Emily; Volkova, Svitlana (2021-04-14). ["Studying information recurrence, gatekeeping, and the role of communities during internet outages in Venezuela"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8046978). *Scientific Reports*. **11** (1): 8137. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2021NatSR..11.8137T](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021NatSR..11.8137T). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1038/s41598-021-87473-8](https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fs41598-021-87473-8). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [2045-2322](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/2045-2322). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [8046978](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8046978). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [33854101](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33854101). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [233241884](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:233241884).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["DRF and NetBlocks find blanket and nation-wide ban on social media in Pakistan and demand it to be lifted immediately"](https://web.archive.org/web/20171201040815/https://digitalrightsfoundation.pk/press-release-drf-and-netblocks-find-blanket-and-nation-wide-ban-on-social-media-in-pakistan-and-demand-it-to-be-lifted-immediately/). *Digital Rights Foundation*. 2017-11-26. Archived from [the original](https://digitalrightsfoundation.pk/press-release-drf-and-netblocks-find-blanket-and-nation-wide-ban-on-social-media-in-pakistan-and-demand-it-to-be-lifted-immediately/) on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-29.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Activists assail blanket ban on social media"](http://nation.com.pk/27-Nov-2017/activists-assail-blanket-ban-on-social-media). *[The Nation](/source/The_Nation)*. 2017-11-27. Retrieved 2017-11-29.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["All you need to know about nation-wide internet disruptions during dharna"](https://www.samaa.tv/social-buzz/2017/11/need-know-nation-wide-internet-disruptions-dharna/). *Samaa TV*. 2017-11-27. Retrieved 2017-11-29.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-REUTnet_10-0)** ["Sudan restricts social media access to counter protest movement"](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sudan-protests-internet/sudan-restricts-social-media-access-to-counter-protest-movement-idUSKCN1OW0Z7). *[Reuters](/source/Reuters)*. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Internet 'disrupted again' in Gabon"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190122093654/https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-africa-46774943/page/6). *[BBC News](/source/BBC_News)*. 7 January 2019. Archived from [the original](https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-africa-46774943/page/6) on 22 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Griffiths, James (18 January 2019). ["The internet is more vulnerable than you realize"](https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/17/africa/internet-shutdown-zimbabwe-censorship-intl/index.html). *[CNN](/source/CNN)*. Retrieved 22 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["NetBlocks: Reporta bloqueo a redes sociales tras protesta de militares en Venezuela"](https://www.voanoticias.com/a/netblocks-reporta-bloqueo-a-redes-sociales-tras-protesta-de-militares-en-venezuela/4752264.html). *[Voice of America](/source/Voice_of_America)* (in Spanish). 21 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Laya, Patricia; Rosati, Andrew (21 January 2019). ["Venezuela Detains Rebel Guardsmen, Sparking Protests in Caracas"](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-21/venezuela-detains-rebel-guardsmen-sparking-protests-in-caracas). *[Bloomberg](/source/Bloomberg.com)*. Retrieved 22 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Venezuela Blocks Wikipedia After Maduro 'Ousted' From Article, Internet Watchdog Says"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190114021216/https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/internet-watchdog-venezuela-blocks-wikipedia-after-maduro-ousted-from-article-1.6831777). *[Haaretz](/source/Haaretz)*. 13 January 2019. Archived from [the original](https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/internet-watchdog-venezuela-blocks-wikipedia-after-maduro-ousted-from-article-1.6831777) on January 14, 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Pineda Sleinan, Julett (21 January 2019). ["Cantv restringió acceso a redes sociales durante alzamiento en Cotiza, reporta Netblocks"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190123010245/http://efectococuyo.com/principales/cantv-restringio-acceso-a-redes-sociales-durante-alzamiento-en-cotiza-reporta-netblocks/). *[Efecto Cocuyo](/source/Efecto_Cocuyo)*. Archived from [the original](https://efectococuyo.com/principales/cantv-restringio-acceso-a-redes-sociales-durante-alzamiento-en-cotiza-reporta-netblocks/) on 23 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Venezuela Wikipedia'ya erişimi engelledi"](https://www.dw.com/tr/venezuela-wikipediaya-erişimi-engelledi/a-47069844). *[Deutsche Welle](/source/Deutsche_Welle)* (in Turkish). 14 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["El régimen chavista bloqueó el acceso a Twitter e Instagram por los incidentes en Caracas"](https://www.infobae.com/america/venezuela/2019/01/21/el-regimen-chavista-bloqueo-el-acceso-a-twitter-e-instagram-por-los-incidentes-en-caracas/). *[Infobae](/source/Infobae)* (in European Spanish). 21 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Somalia internet blackout after parliament votes to remove prime minister"](https://netblocks.org/reports/somalia-internet-blackout-after-parliament-votes-to-remove-prime-minister-DA3lx6BW). *NetBlocks*. 2020-07-26.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["Somalia sees internet blackout after prime minister ousted"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/somalia-sees-internet-blackout-after-prime-minister-ousted/2020/07/27/4e27ec5e-d019-11ea-826b-cc394d824e35_story.html). *Washington Post*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0190-8286](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0190-8286). Retrieved 2022-05-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** ["Weekend Profile: Alp Toker, chronicler of Ukraine's embattled internet"](https://web.archive.org/web/20221107200634/https://espresso.economist.com/f0581ab7f8e6b8695051457df75cd9c0). *The Economist*. 2022-03-25. Archived from [the original](https://espresso.economist.com/f0581ab7f8e6b8695051457df75cd9c0) on 2022-11-07.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** ["Ukraine Crisis: Support Connectivity and Internet Rights"](https://netblocks.org/ukraine-crisis). *NetBlocks*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** ["Outages in Ukraine Demonstrate the Internet's Role in Modern Conflict"](https://vce.usc.edu/weekly-news-profile/outages-in-ukraine-demonstrate-the-internets-role-in-modern-conflict/). *Viterbi Conversations in Ethics*. 2022-02-28.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-wired20210714_24-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-wired20210714_24-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-wired20210714_24-2) Volpicelli, Gian M. (2021-07-14). ["How the internet censorship community turned on NetBlocks"](https://www.wired.co.uk/article/netblocks-internet-shutdowns). *Wired UK*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1357-0978](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1357-0978). Retrieved 2021-07-16.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** Alexiev, Assen (2020-11-09). ["WIPO Domain Name Decision: D2020-2240"](https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/decisions/text/2020/d2020-2240.html). *www.wipo.int*. Retrieved 2021-07-16.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [NetBlocks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetBlocks) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetBlocks?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.