An Internet kill switch is a countermeasure concept of activating a single shut off mechanism for all Internet traffic. The concept behind having an internet kill switch is based on creating a single point of control (i.e. a switch or some form of initiation) for a single authority to control or shut down the Internet in order to protect it or its users. It has been the subject of debate, especially in the United States, as some organizations, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), claim it is "threatening a key engine of democracy and First Amendment rights".
China
China completely shut down Internet service in the autonomous region of Xinjiang from July 2009 to May 2010 for up to 312 days after the July 2009 Ürümqi riots.
Egypt
On January 27, 2011, during the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, the government of President Hosni Mubarak cut off access to the Internet by all four national ISPs, and all mobile phone networks. This version of a kill switch was effected by a government-ordered shutdown of the Egyptian-run portion of the Domain Name System, and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), making transmission of Internet traffic impossible for Egyptian ISPs. All network traffic ceased within two hours, according to Arbor Networks.
India
India sometimes terminates Internet connections in Kashmir and northeastern states.
Iran The Iranian Government activated the internet kill switch during the 2019–2020 Iranian Protests to prevent the organization of new protests. The Iranian Government also activated the internet kill switch during the 2025–2026 Iranian protests to prevent the organization of new protests as well as preventing media from being released of the massacres.
Tanzania On October 29, 2025, the Tanzanian government shut down nationwide access to major social networking sites during a five day national election polling period. The technical mechanism that enabled the Internet blackout is not currently known.
Turkey In June 2016, Turkey introduced an Internet kill switch law permitting authorities to "partially or entirely" suspend Internet access due to wartime measures, national security or public order. The mechanism came to attention when Internet monitoring group Turkey Blocks detected a nationwide slowdown affecting several social network services on the eve of a major offensive during the 2016 Turkish military intervention in Syria. Similar Internet restrictions had previously been implemented during national emergencies to control the flow of information in the aftermath of terrorist attacks, originally without any clear legal grounding.
United Kingdom In the United Kingdom, the Communications Act 2003 and the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 allow the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to suspend Internet services, either by ordering Internet service providers to shut down operations or by closing Internet exchange points. A representative of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said in 2011 that:
It would have to be a very serious threat for these powers to be used, something like a major cyber attack. The powers are subject to review and if it was used inappropriately there could be an appeal to the competitions appeal tribunal. Any decision to use them would have to comply with public law and the Human Rights Act. Dr. Peter Gradwell, a trustee of the Nominet Trust, criticized the provisions in the Communications Act:
The legislation also includes the requirement to make compensatory payments for loss or damage. Would the Government want to foot the bill for switching off a multi- billion-pound industry? If a notice is served on an ISP and ignored, the penalty is only a fine. If the public were massing on the streets of London, I believe that many internet providers would be happy to argue the legitimacy of such a penalty in court.
United States
History The prospect of cyberwarfare during the 2000s has prompted the drafting of legislation by US officials, but worldwide the implications of actually "killing" the Internet has prompted criticism of the idea in the United States. During the Arab Spring in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya access to the Internet was denied in an effort to limit peer networking to facilitate organization. While the effects of shutting off information access are controversial, the topic of a kill switch does remain to be resolved legally.
Communications Act of 1934 The Communications Act of 1934 established the US federal government's regulation of electronic communications by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This act, created by the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, gave the president powers of control over the media under certain circumstances. This act was the basis of regulatory power for the executive branch of the government to control electronic communications in the United States.
Telecommunications Act of 1996 Presidential Decision Directive 63 (PDD-63), signed in May 1998, established a structure under White House leadership to coordinate the activities of designated lead departments and agencies, in partnership with their counterparts from the private sector, to "eliminate any significant vulnerability to both physical and cyber attacks on our critical infrastructures, including especially our cyber systems".
Proposed Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act of 2010
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