Afghanistan's Internet Blackout and Malaysia's DNS Censorship - What it means for Digital Freedom
An entire country has effectively vanished from the internet. On September 29, 2025 in Afghanistan cell and internet services nationwide were flatlined dropping to near 0% connectivity, affecting a population of 40 million. This was not a slowdown or restriction but an abrupt full-scale blackout. This all came to light through NetBlocks, a watchdog group that tracks internet connectivity. Traffic graphs did not dip; they nosedived straight to zero within an hour , a level that has since hovered at a negligible 0–1%. Blackout by Blade The regime employed no fancy, sophisticated cyber technology. They went old-school: they just started cutting the fiber optic cables in various regions in the country. Their official statement claimed that “alternative options” would eventually be provided to maintain connectivity needs. The official justification provided by the regime was to prevent 'vice'. A vague, sweeping excuse that invariably becomes the default mask for deeper state co...