In April 2019, the Sri Lankan government cut off social media access in the wake of a fatal terrorist attack. According to an Ipsos survey conducted a month later, approximately 60 percent of online users across 27 countries agreed that temporarily shutting down social media during a crisis was acceptable to stop the spread of false information. India was ranked first with a 88 percent agreement rate, by far the highest of any country surveyed.
Internet users who agree that temporarily cutting off social media is acceptable during a time of crisis to stop the spread of false information as of June 2019, by country
Where results do not sum to 100, this may be due to computer rounding, multiple responses or the exclusion of don't knows or not stated responses.
Original question: "For each of the following please indicate if you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree: Temporarily cutting off social media platforms is acceptable at times of crisis to stop the spread of false information."
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Ipsos. (August 2, 2019). Internet users who agree that temporarily cutting off social media is acceptable during a time of crisis to stop the spread of false information as of June 2019, by country [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved June 30, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1038910/worldwide-internet-users-social-media-cut-off-during-crises/
Ipsos. "Internet users who agree that temporarily cutting off social media is acceptable during a time of crisis to stop the spread of false information as of June 2019, by country." Chart. August 2, 2019. Statista. Accessed June 30, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1038910/worldwide-internet-users-social-media-cut-off-during-crises/
Ipsos. (2019). Internet users who agree that temporarily cutting off social media is acceptable during a time of crisis to stop the spread of false information as of June 2019, by country. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: June 30, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1038910/worldwide-internet-users-social-media-cut-off-during-crises/
Ipsos. "Internet Users Who Agree That Temporarily Cutting off Social Media Is Acceptable during a Time of Crisis to Stop The Spread of False Information as of June 2019, by Country." Statista, Statista Inc., 2 Aug 2019, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1038910/worldwide-internet-users-social-media-cut-off-during-crises/
Ipsos, Internet users who agree that temporarily cutting off social media is acceptable during a time of crisis to stop the spread of false information as of June 2019, by country Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1038910/worldwide-internet-users-social-media-cut-off-during-crises/ (last visited June 30, 2025)
Internet users who agree that temporarily cutting off social media is acceptable during a time of crisis to stop the spread of false information as of June 2019, by country [Graph], Ipsos, August 2, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1038910/worldwide-internet-users-social-media-cut-off-during-crises/
