Internet shutdowns disrupt the free flow of information and create a veil that allows repression to unfold without external scrutiny. By cutting off or restricting the internet, the Republic of Cameroon has joined an increasingly long list of governments that order network shutdowns during periods of social unrest, a practice that many member states of the African Union have adopted, including: Burundi, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Gabon, Egypt, Sudan, the Central African Republic, and more recently Gambia (Internet Without Borders). See: Map of censorship and internet shutdowns in Africa.

To assist African civil society actors, a toolkit on digital security is produced and shared. Additionally, an ad hoc committee has been established to address cases of censorship and suffocation of civic space through abrupt internet shutdowns or the implementation of abusive or restrictive legislation.