Internet Blackout Survival: How to Protect Your Data and Stay Secure Offline
Everything you do in this digital era, from school to office to entertainment, largely involves internet use. Imagine you have an important task you need to complete, and suddenly, there's no internet connection in your area.
Well, the truth is that you’ll have to find ways possible to survive without the internet. But how would you build a network that will survive when the entire web goes down?
That's a strange question on a normal day, but with a surprisingly genuine answer.
There’s no denying that experiencing an internet shutdown is challenging; however, with some preparedness and alternative strategies, it’s very easy to navigate through it. That means that you can survive an internet shutdown.
The question now is, how?
What’s an Internet Shutdown?
An internet shutdown can easily happen anytime without giving any time to prepare. That means, within no time, you'll have no way of making online payments, Google Maps for traveling, streaming your favorite TV show, and several other services that require a good internet connection.
So, how and why would an internet shutdown happen?
Ideally, an internet shutdown usually happens when someone (mostly the government) intentionally disrupts the internet or mobile applications to control what the users do or say. Usually, most countries' justification for internet disruptions is upholding national security, preventing “false news” from spreading, and maintaining public safety.
For instance, over 20 countries across four continents have been participating in internet shutdowns, especially in 2020, and the cases are only increasing in frequency. For governments, shutting down the internet has become a form of control, especially during political moments.
Some countries like India, Uganda, Myanmar, and others reported internet shutdowns in 2021 during anti-coup and election protests.
Moreover, there are many reasons why the internet may experience disruptions. Here are some of the general reasons:
Power disorders
Technical disorders
Natural disasters
Network disorders
Routine maintenance
Consequences of Internet Shutdowns
It's a digital world, right? Therefore, almost everything is done with the help of an internet connection. It's a no-brainer than what the consequences could be if you experience an internet shutdown.
First, an internet shutdown is diminishing the internet freedom of a user, and, on the other hand, it stifles economic growth. For instance, the Internet and business are tightly intertwined, and any disruption to the Internet directly means disruption to a nation's economy. Several individuals make payments for services offered online, and others even provide services online; therefore, any disruption means no business takes place.
Also, internet shutdowns infringe on the right to internet access, a fundamental right adopted in 2016 by the UN Human Rights Council Resolution.
Now, can you survive an internet shutdown? There have to be ways!
Ways to Survive an Internet Shutdown
Before we get into the entire system of how you can survive an internet shutdown, it's paramount that you understand that there are two types of internet shutdowns:
Partial Internet Shutdown
Total Internet Shutdown
Partial Internet Shutdown
This is where the government restricts access to some sections of the internet, such as social networking sites, foreign news websites, and communications apps. Usually, it’s done to restrict people from sharing information.
So, when that happens, here’s what you can do to circumvent such a shutdown;
Install a VPN
A VPN needs to be your priority – when you install an excellent VPN like ExtremeVPN, you secure your internet access unrestrictedly. Besides, if you use Tor over VPN, it will help to increase your privacy even further. You simply need to connect to the VPN and then open the Tor Browser.
Use Tor
Using circumvention tools like Tor will help you survive an internet shutdown. It's open-source, which prevents users from individuals who will want to spy on their browsing activity.
Also, you must prioritize apps and tools that enhance privacy and security, like HTTPS Everywhere.
Use Secure Communication Tools
When popular communication apps are blocked, having a plan to stay in contact is crucial. Shifting to encrypted messaging apps that offer peer-to-peer or decentralized connectivity can be vital for maintaining private communication during a partial shutdown. For a detailed look at secure communication options, you can explore this guide to the best encrypted messaging apps to understand which ones might be most resilient.
Total Internet Shutdown
With a total shutdown, the internet doesn’t work at all – all the internet services are no longer working and are completely blocked, including mobile data services and broadband carriers. The block is country - or region-wide, and users cannot connect to the internet on any device.
In such scenarios, here’s what you need to do;
Create a Smartphone ad hoc Network
You can combine several available smartphones and create a localized wireless ad hoc network that depends on Bluetooth. You simply establish a peer-to-peer network.
Digital Hoarding
Whenever you feel political instability looming, it could be the correct time to collect and back up as much data as possible. It may include significant data like operation manuals, historical documents, operating systems, cultural media, and any other data you feel thwarts oppression.
Create a Sneaker Network
This is an offline form of the internet that can run on human movement – the delivery of information depends on humans delivering information via physical devices such as external hard drives and USB sticks.
You can use several other ways whenever you experience an internet shutdown. Some include using offline Google Maps, carrying some cash, using international SIM cards, and satellite content.
Conclusion
Nonetheless, the internet just disappearing, and upping is extremely unlikely. You may have experienced an internet shutdown for a few hours (can be partial or total). Besides, you might face geo-blocking and similar online restrictions before it gets that dire. Therefore, to be on the safer side, you need a good VPN like ExtremeVPN that will keep you on the front foot all the time.
