NetBlocks
{{Short description|Watchdog organization}}
{{Infobox organization
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| image = NetBlocks logo.svg
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| formation = {{start date and age|2017}}
| founder = Alp Toker
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| type = Social business
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| headquarters = London, United Kingdom
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| methods = Technology journalism
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| website = {{URL|https://netblocks.org}}
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NetBlocks is a watchdog organization that monitors cybersecurity and the governance of the Internet.{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Our Work|url=https://netblocks.org/about|accessdate=|website=NetBlocks}}{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=|title=Ethiopia re-opens the country's internet|work=BBC World Service|type=Interview|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08kt9z0|access-date=}} The service was launched in 2017 to monitor Internet freedom.{{cite web |title=Home |url=https://netblocks.org/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914182952/https://netblocks.org/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 September 2017 |website=NetBlocks |accessdate=22 January 2019 |date=14 September 2017}}
Work
= Projects =
NetBlocks publishes original reporting on Internet governance and sustainable energy, providing tools to the public to observe possible Internet restrictions and to estimate the economic consequences of network disruptions.{{cite web |title=Projects and Initiatives |url=https://netblocks.org/projects |website=NetBlocks |accessdate=22 January 2019}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=NetBlocks Tracks Venezuela's Power Outage|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/netblocks-tracks-venezuelas-power-outage|access-date=|website=IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News|publisher=Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers|language=en}} NetBlocks has established a high level of trust in communities around the world, facilitating the spread of information during emergencies and Internet censorship events, according to peer-reviewed research published in the scientific journal Nature.{{Cite journal |last1=Thomas |first1=Pamela Bilo |last2=Saldanha |first2=Emily |last3=Volkova |first3=Svitlana |date=2021-04-14 |title=Studying information recurrence, gatekeeping, and the role of communities during internet outages in Venezuela |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=8137 |doi=10.1038/s41598-021-87473-8 |s2cid=233241884 |issn=2045-2322|doi-access=free |pmid=33854101 |pmc=8046978 |bibcode=2021NatSR..11.8137T }}
= Events =
On 25 November 2017, NetBlocks and the Digital Rights Foundation provided information about the nationwide censorship of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media services by the Pakistani government following the Tehreek-e-Labaik protests.{{Cite news|url=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/|title=DRF and NetBlocks find blanket and nation-wide ban on social media in Pakistan and demand it to be lifted immediately|date=2017-11-26|work=Digital Rights Foundation|access-date=2017-11-29|language=en-GB}}{{Cite news|url=http://nation.com.pk/27-Nov-2017/activists-assail-blanket-ban-on-social-media|title=Activists assail blanket ban on social media|date=2017-11-27|work=The Nation|access-date=2017-11-29|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.samaa.tv/social-buzz/2017/11/need-know-nation-wide-internet-disruptions-dharna/|title=All you need to know about nation-wide internet disruptions during dharna|date=2017-11-27|website=Samaa TV|language=en-US|access-date=2017-11-29}}
During the 2018–2019 Sudanese protests, NetBlocks stated that the Sudanese government maintains "an extensive Internet censorship regime" following the censorship of social media websites in the country.{{cite news|date=2 January 2019|title=Sudan restricts social media access to counter protest movement|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sudan-protests-internet/sudan-restricts-social-media-access-to-counter-protest-movement-idUSKCN1OW0Z7|accessdate=22 January 2019}} Following the 2019 Gabonese coup d'état attempt, NetBlocks monitored censorship in the country.{{cite news |title=Internet 'disrupted again' in Gabon |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-africa-46774943/page/6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190122093654/https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-africa-46774943/page/6 |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 January 2019 |accessdate=22 January 2019 |work=BBC News |date=7 January 2019}} The cost of the three-day Internet shutdown following the Zimbabwean fuel protests was also calculated to cost Zimbabwe an estimated $17 million.{{cite news |last1=Griffiths |first1=James |title=The internet is more vulnerable than you realize |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/17/africa/internet-shutdown-zimbabwe-censorship-intl/index.html |accessdate=22 January 2019 |work=CNN |date=18 January 2019}}
The block of Wikipedia in Venezuela and other censorship incidents during the Venezuelan presidential crisis were also monitored by NetBlocks, with several international media outlets covering the situation with NetBlocks' work.{{cite news |title=NetBlocks: Reporta bloqueo a redes sociales tras protesta de militares en Venezuela |url=https://www.voanoticias.com/a/netblocks-reporta-bloqueo-a-redes-sociales-tras-protesta-de-militares-en-venezuela/4752264.html |accessdate=22 January 2019 |work=Voice of America |date=21 January 2019 |language=es}}{{cite news |last1=Laya |first1=Patricia |last2=Rosati |first2=Andrew |title=Venezuela Detains Rebel Guardsmen, Sparking Protests in Caracas |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-21/venezuela-detains-rebel-guardsmen-sparking-protests-in-caracas |accessdate=22 January 2019 |work=Bloomberg |date=21 January 2019}}{{cite news |title=Venezuela Blocks Wikipedia After Maduro 'Ousted' From Article, Internet Watchdog Says |url=https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/internet-watchdog-venezuela-blocks-wikipedia-after-maduro-ousted-from-article-1.6831777 |accessdate=22 January 2019 |work=Haaretz |date=13 January 2019 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Pineda Sleinan |first1=Julett |title=Cantv restringió acceso a redes sociales durante alzamiento en Cotiza, reporta Netblocks |url=http://efectococuyo.com/principales/cantv-restringio-acceso-a-redes-sociales-durante-alzamiento-en-cotiza-reporta-netblocks/ |accessdate=22 January 2019 |work=Efecto Cocuyo |date=21 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123010245/http://efectococuyo.com/principales/cantv-restringio-acceso-a-redes-sociales-durante-alzamiento-en-cotiza-reporta-netblocks/ |archive-date=23 January 2019 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |title=Venezuela Wikipedia'ya erişimi engelledi |url=https://www.dw.com/tr/venezuela-wikipediaya-erişimi-engelledi/a-47069844 |accessdate=22 January 2019 |work=Deutsche Welle |date=14 January 2019 |language=tr-TR}}{{cite news |title=El régimen chavista bloqueó el acceso a Twitter e Instagram por los incidentes en Caracas |url=https://www.infobae.com/america/venezuela/2019/01/21/el-regimen-chavista-bloqueo-el-acceso-a-twitter-e-instagram-por-los-incidentes-en-caracas/ |accessdate=22 January 2019 |work=Infobae |date=21 January 2019 |language=es-ES}}
In July 2020, as the Somalian Parliament passed a motion of no confidence in Prime Minister 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's claim that the outage was due to "windy conditions."{{Cite web |date=2020-07-26 |title=Somalia internet blackout after parliament votes to remove prime minister |url=https://netblocks.org/reports/somalia-internet-blackout-after-parliament-votes-to-remove-prime-minister-DA3lx6BW |access-date= |website=NetBlocks |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |title=Somalia sees internet blackout after prime minister ousted |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/somalia-sees-internet-blackout-after-prime-minister-ousted/2020/07/27/4e27ec5e-d019-11ea-826b-cc394d824e35_story.html |access-date=2022-05-10 |issn=0190-8286}}
From February 2022, NetBlocks set up a reporting initiative providing extensive coverage on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, documenting Russian efforts to disable communications at nuclear sites and in conflict zones.{{Cite news |date=2022-03-25 |title=Weekend Profile: Alp Toker, chronicler of Ukraine's embattled internet |url=https://espresso.economist.com/f0581ab7f8e6b8695051457df75cd9c0 |access-date= |newspaper=The Economist |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Ukraine Crisis: Support Connectivity and Internet Rights |url=https://netblocks.org/ukraine-crisis |access-date= |website=NetBlocks |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2022-02-28 |title=Outages in Ukraine Demonstrate the Internet's Role in Modern Conflict |url=https://vce.usc.edu/weekly-news-profile/outages-in-ukraine-demonstrate-the-internets-role-in-modern-conflict/ |access-date= |website=Viterbi Conversations in Ethics |language=en-US}}
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 reported.{{Cite news|last=Volpicelli|first=Gian M.|date=2021-07-14|title=How the internet censorship community turned on NetBlocks|language=en-GB|work=Wired UK|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/netblocks-internet-shutdowns|access-date=2021-07-16|issn=1357-0978}}
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. The mailing list OTF-Talk reacted negatively to the response, and afterwards subscribers demanded NetBlocks "release its tools as 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.{{Cite web|last=Alexiev|first=Assen|date=2020-11-09|title=WIPO Domain Name Decision: D2020-2240|url=https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/decisions/text/2020/d2020-2240.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-16|website=www.wipo.int}} Anderson subsequently moved the site to netblocked.org.