African rulers' weapon against web-based dissent: the off switchDAKAR (Reuters) - Rapidly expanding access to the internet across Africa is helping grassroots opposition movements take on once-invulnerable regimes. Many entrenched rulers have a simple response: pulling the plug.  While countries in the Middle East and China employ firewalls and block virtual private networks to control web access, leaders in Africa increasingly prefer the blunter instrument of outright outages. Critics say that infringes not just the rights of individuals but also undermines the burgeoning economies of some of the world s poorest countries. Since the start of 2016, governments in 13 African nations have intentionally shut down the internet on 21 occasions, mainly during elections and protests, according to a database run by online rights group Access Now. That compares to seven shutdowns in the previous two years.  Earlier this month, tech entrepreneur Sama Tanya saw Cameroonian police fire teargas into a residential building during protests by the country s English-speaking minority. As choking women and children poured onto the street, he considered documenting the crackdown to share on social media, only to realize the internet connection had been cut.   I couldn t even reach my family to tell them. I was worried, but I couldn t share a thing,  he said by telephone from the city of Buea, the epicenter of the demonstrations.  Rights group Internet Without Borders says cutting access is a violation of international law and defies a July 2016 U.N. resolution affirming that  the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online.   Internet freedom declined worldwide for the sixth straight year in 2016, according to an annual report from Freedom House.  Africa is becoming a new testing ground for authoritarian practices online,  said Francois Patuel, West Africa researcher at Amnesty International.  We have seen disruptions in Togo and in other countries but also arrests for what people are saying online. Often what people say online can be used against them in court.   Internet cuts in Africa date back to the 2011 Arab Spring when rulers in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya sought to control the spread of information.  Today, the intent is the same, but the methods have evolved.  Governments slow internet speed by reducing bandwidth, or  throttling , and target and shut down certain URLs like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, a process known as filtering. Although free apps like VPN Monster and Turbo VPN can circumvent filtering using VPNs which mask the location of a computer or phone, even a VPN won t help you if you don t have an internet connection in the first place. When Gabon shut down internet access for several days last year as violent street protests erupted against President Ali Bongo s contested re-election, it likely only required flipping a virtual switch at state-run Gabon Telecom.  Gabon Communications Minister Bilie-By-Nze acknowledged in a Reuters interview that internet access had been disrupted, but declined to comment further. During elections in Gambia in December, the government ordered the shutdown of the internet s  landing point , the central point from which service is supplied to the whole country, according to two people with knowledge of the decision. In Togo, authorities appeared to have organized a mobile data shutdown during opposition protests against President Faure Gnassingbe last month, according to people who were there who said fixed internet lines remained available.  Certain people post images to amplify the situation or publish photos of horror,  Togo s Security Minister Colonel Damehame Yark told reporters earlier this month.  The government decided to cut the internet because we have to protect the population.   Democratic Republic of Congo asked telecommunications companies to block social media networks in December. Providers declined to comment at the time on whether they would comply, but one industry executive said all companies had signed an agreement to respect national security injunctions.   When a sovereign government gives licenses to telecoms companies, those companies have little choice but to comply with the government s demands,  said Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Oracle Dyn, which monitors international internet traffic flows. Orange and Airtel, which provide service in countries where there have been shutdowns, did not respond to requests for comment for this story. MTN, the continent s top mobile phone operator, provided a link to a company statement outlining its dedication to internet freedom but declined to comment further. Outages may be aimed at political opponents or social disruptors but businesses crucial to Africa s economic growth can get also caught up in the crackdown. Sub-Saharan Africa s internet shutdowns have cost the region up to $237 million in economic losses since 2015, according to a recent report by the UK government-funded Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa.  Shutdowns are  adversely affecting the livelihoods of citizens, undermining the profitability of business enterprises, and reducing the GDP and competitiveness of countries that implement them,  the report said. Etta Ayuk s small tech start-up Skylabase, which provides software to banks, lost three major clients and $20,000 worth of business when the internet was shut down from January to April in Anglophone Cameroon, forcing him to fire nearly half his employees. During the outage, Ayuk and his remaining staff crammed onto buses every morning for the 70-km (44-mile) drive to Francophone Cameroon s commercial capital, Douala, to use the internet there. Gridlock often made it a three-hour trip each way. Cameroon s government declined repeated requests for comment.     Ayuk is considering rebasing to Gambia, which has not had a government shutdown since Adama Barrow became president in January 2017. Barrow is encouraging internet start-ups.   I am a child of Cameroon, I don t want to leave,  he said.  But the political situation is not supporting us.   worldnews
african rulers weapon dissent switchdakar reuters rapidly expanding access internet across africa helping grassroots opposition movements take regimes many entrenched rulers simple response pulling plug while countries middle east china employ firewall block virtual private networks control web access leaders africa increasingly prefer blunder instrument outright outages critics say infringe rights individuals also undermines burgeoning economies world poorest countries since start governments african nations intentionally shut internet occasions mainly elections protests according database run online rights group access now that compares seven shutdown previous two years earlier month tech entrepreneur sama any saw cameroonian police fire tears residential building protests country minority as choking women children poured onto street considered documenting crackdown share social media realize internet connection cut i even reach family tell i worried i share thing said telephone city bea epicenter demonstrations rights group internet without borders says cutting access violation international law defies july resolution affirming rights people offline must also protected online internet freedom declined worldwide sixth straight year according annual report freedom house africa becoming new testing ground authoritarian practices online said francois patel west africa researcher amnesty international we seen disruptions logo countries also arrests people saying online often people say online used court internet cuts africa date back arab spring rulers egypt tunisia libya sought control spread information today intent methods evolved governments slow internet speed reducing bandwidth throttling target shut certain urls like facebook twitter whatsapp process known filtering although free apps like vpn monster turbo vpn circumvent filtering using vans mask location computer phone even vpn help internet connection first place when gaon shut internet access several days last year violent street protests erupted president ali congo contested likely required flipping virtual switch gaon telecom gaon communications minister acknowledged reuters interview internet access disrupted declined comment during elections gambit december government ordered shutdown internet landing point central point service supplied whole country according two people knowledge decision in logo authorities appeared organized mobile data shutdown opposition protests president fare gnassingbe last month according people said fixed internet lines remained available certain people post images amplify situation publish photos horror logo security minister colonel gamename mark told reporters earlier month the government decided cut internet protect population democratic republic congo asked telecommunications companies block social media networks december providers declined comment time whether would comply one industry executive said companies signed agreement respect national security injunctions when sovereign government gives licenses telecoms companies companies little choice comply government demands said doug major director internet analysis oracle dyn monitors international internet traffic flows orange airtel provide service countries shutdown respond requests comment story mtn continent top mobile phone operator provided link company statement outlining dedication internet freedom declined comment outages may aimed political opponents social disruptions businesses crucial africa economic growth get also caught crackdown africa internet shutdown cost region million economic losses since according recent report uk collaboration international ict policy east southern africa shutdown adversely affecting livelihoods citizens undermining profitability business enterprises reducing gdp competitiveness countries implement report said eta hyuk small tech skylabase provides software banks lost three major clients worth business internet shut january april anglophone cameroon forcing fire nearly half employees during outage hyuk remaining staff rammed onto buses every morning drive francophone cameroon commercial capital double use internet gridlock often made trip way cameroon government declined repeated requests comment hyuk considering reading gambit government shutdown since adam barrow became president january barrow encouraging internet i child cameroon i want leave said but political situation supporting us worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: African rulers' weapon against web-based dissent: the off switchDAKAR (Reuters) - Rapidly expanding access to the internet across Africa is helping grassroots opposition movements take on once-invulnerable regimes. Many entrenched rulers have a simple response: pulling the plug.  While countries in the Middle East and China employ firewalls and block virtual private networks to control web access, leaders in Africa increasingly prefer the blunter instrument of outright outages. Critics say that infringes not just the rights of individuals but also undermines the burgeoning economies of some of the world s poorest countries. Since the start of 2016, governments in 13 African nations have intentionally shut down the internet on 21 occasions, mainly during elections and protests, according to a database run by online rights group Access Now. That compares to seven shutdowns in the previous two years.  Earlier this month, tech entrepreneur Sama Tanya saw Cameroonian police fire teargas into a residential building during protests by the country s English-speaking minority. As choking women and children poured onto the street, he considered documenting the crackdown to share on social media, only to realize the internet connection had been cut.   I couldn t even reach my family to tell them. I was worried, but I couldn t share a thing,  he said by telephone from the city of Buea, the epicenter of the demonstrations.  Rights group Internet Without Borders says cutting access is a violation of international law and defies a July 2016 U.N. resolution affirming that  the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online.   Internet freedom declined worldwide for the sixth straight year in 2016, according to an annual report from Freedom House.  Africa is becoming a new testing ground for authoritarian practices online,  said Francois Patuel, West Africa researcher at Amnesty International.  We have seen disruptions in Togo and in other countries but also arrests for what people are saying online. Often what people say online can be used against them in court.   Internet cuts in Africa date back to the 2011 Arab Spring when rulers in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya sought to control the spread of information.  Today, the intent is the same, but the methods have evolved.  Governments slow internet speed by reducing bandwidth, or  throttling , and target and shut down certain URLs like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, a process known as filtering. Although free apps like VPN Monster and Turbo VPN can circumvent filtering using VPNs which mask the location of a computer or phone, even a VPN won t help you if you don t have an internet connection in the first place. When Gabon shut down internet access for several days last year as violent street protests erupted against President Ali Bongo s contested re-election, it likely only required flipping a virtual switch at state-run Gabon Telecom.  Gabon Communications Minister Bilie-By-Nze acknowledged in a Reuters interview that internet access had been disrupted, but declined to comment further. During elections in Gambia in December, the government ordered the shutdown of the internet s  landing point , the central point from which service is supplied to the whole country, according to two people with knowledge of the decision. In Togo, authorities appeared to have organized a mobile data shutdown during opposition protests against President Faure Gnassingbe last month, according to people who were there who said fixed internet lines remained available.  Certain people post images to amplify the situation or publish photos of horror,  Togo s Security Minister Colonel Damehame Yark told reporters earlier this month.  The government decided to cut the internet because we have to protect the population.   Democratic Republic of Congo asked telecommunications companies to block social media networks in December. Providers declined to comment at the time on whether they would comply, but one industry executive said all companies had signed an agreement to respect national security injunctions.   When a sovereign government gives licenses to telecoms companies, those companies have little choice but to comply with the government s demands,  said Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Oracle Dyn, which monitors international internet traffic flows. Orange and Airtel, which provide service in countries where there have been shutdowns, did not respond to requests for comment for this story. MTN, the continent s top mobile phone operator, provided a link to a company statement outlining its dedication to internet freedom but declined to comment further. Outages may be aimed at political opponents or social disruptors but businesses crucial to Africa s economic growth can get also caught up in the crackdown. Sub-Saharan Africa s internet shutdowns have cost the region up to $237 million in economic losses since 2015, according to a recent report by the UK government-funded Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa.  Shutdowns are  adversely affecting the livelihoods of citizens, undermining the profitability of business enterprises, and reducing the GDP and competitiveness of countries that implement them,  the report said. Etta Ayuk s small tech start-up Skylabase, which provides software to banks, lost three major clients and $20,000 worth of business when the internet was shut down from January to April in Anglophone Cameroon, forcing him to fire nearly half his employees. During the outage, Ayuk and his remaining staff crammed onto buses every morning for the 70-km (44-mile) drive to Francophone Cameroon s commercial capital, Douala, to use the internet there. Gridlock often made it a three-hour trip each way. Cameroon s government declined repeated requests for comment.     Ayuk is considering rebasing to Gambia, which has not had a government shutdown since Adama Barrow became president in January 2017. Barrow is encouraging internet start-ups.   I am a child of Cameroon, I don t want to leave,  he said.  But the political situation is not supporting us.   worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: african rulers weapon dissent switchdakar reuters rapidly expanding access internet across africa helping grassroots opposition movements take regimes many entrenched rulers simple response pulling plug while countries middle east china employ firewall block virtual private networks control web access leaders africa increasingly prefer blunder instrument outright outages critics say infringe rights individuals also undermines burgeoning economies world poorest countries since start governments african nations intentionally shut internet occasions mainly elections protests according database run online rights group access now that compares seven shutdown previous two years earlier month tech entrepreneur sama any saw cameroonian police fire tears residential building protests country minority as choking women children poured onto street considered documenting crackdown share social media realize internet connection cut i even reach family tell i worried i share thing said telephone city bea epicenter demonstrations rights group internet without borders says cutting access violation international law defies july resolution affirming rights people offline must also protected online internet freedom declined worldwide sixth straight year according annual report freedom house africa becoming new testing ground authoritarian practices online said francois patel west africa researcher amnesty international we seen disruptions logo countries also arrests people saying online often people say online used court internet cuts africa date back arab spring rulers egypt tunisia libya sought control spread information today intent methods evolved governments slow internet speed reducing bandwidth throttling target shut certain urls like facebook twitter whatsapp process known filtering although free apps like vpn monster turbo vpn circumvent filtering using vans mask location computer phone even vpn help internet connection first place when gaon shut internet access several days last year violent street protests erupted president ali congo contested likely required flipping virtual switch gaon telecom gaon communications minister acknowledged reuters interview internet access disrupted declined comment during elections gambit december government ordered shutdown internet landing point central point service supplied whole country according two people knowledge decision in logo authorities appeared organized mobile data shutdown opposition protests president fare gnassingbe last month according people said fixed internet lines remained available certain people post images amplify situation publish photos horror logo security minister colonel gamename mark told reporters earlier month the government decided cut internet protect population democratic republic congo asked telecommunications companies block social media networks december providers declined comment time whether would comply one industry executive said companies signed agreement respect national security injunctions when sovereign government gives licenses telecoms companies companies little choice comply government demands said doug major director internet analysis oracle dyn monitors international internet traffic flows orange airtel provide service countries shutdown respond requests comment story mtn continent top mobile phone operator provided link company statement outlining dedication internet freedom declined comment outages may aimed political opponents social disruptions businesses crucial africa economic growth get also caught crackdown africa internet shutdown cost region million economic losses since according recent report uk collaboration international ict policy east southern africa shutdown adversely affecting livelihoods citizens undermining profitability business enterprises reducing gdp competitiveness countries implement report said eta hyuk small tech skylabase provides software banks lost three major clients worth business internet shut january april anglophone cameroon forcing fire nearly half employees during outage hyuk remaining staff rammed onto buses every morning drive francophone cameroon commercial capital double use internet gridlock often made trip way cameroon government declined repeated requests comment hyuk considering reading gambit government shutdown since adam barrow became president january barrow encouraging internet i child cameroon i want leave said but political situation supporting us worldnews