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Strengthening the Internet 31 October 2024

A World Without the Internet is a Disaster (Movie)

By Celia RichardsonMarketing Specialist, Internet Society Foundation

Everybody loves a good disaster movie. Whether it centers on a zombie invasion, natural disaster, or man-made catastrophe, the question at the core of these movies is: What will people do if society collapses? The many different attempts to answer this question have compelled audiences and captured imaginations for decades. 

As the Internet continues to become increasingly prominent in our lives, it has also begun to play a larger role in the movies we watch. More and more, in disaster movies, there is a key indicator that something is really wrong and bad things are about to start happening: The Internet is down. 

Internet outages have featured as indications that “bad things are about to happen” in recent movies like Netflix’s Leave the World Behind and the adaptation of Stephen King’s The Life of Chuck. Let’s take a look at why a widespread Internet shutdown could be a sign of disaster. 

Loss of Contact With the Outside World

When people lose access to the Internet, they lose the ability to easily contact friends and family members who are not geographically close to them. 

Your knowledge of the world becomes narrowed to your direct surroundings. The feelings of isolation, worry over loved ones, and stress from not knowing what is happening can cause people to panic. 

Additionally, when information is spread around, or rumors start, it can be more difficult to confirm or deny their authenticity. This can lead to the proliferation of misinformation. 

Economic Instability

One in five workers does their job remotely, according to Forbes, which is largely made possible thanks to the Internet. Even more people use the Internet in some capacity to do their jobs, no matter where they are. 

For those who do their work online, losing access to the Internet can make it difficult or impossible for them to do their jobs, causing economic instability and putting people at risk of poverty and homelessness. 

Losing the Internet doesn’t just affect our ability to earn, but also our ability to make purchases. Online shopping would, of course, be out of the question, but even in-person payment terminals, ATMs, and bank branches rely on the Internet to make transactions. 

If we lost the Internet, we would lose access to many common digital payment methods like credit cards, PayPal, e-wallets, and bank transfers. As a society, we wouldn’t be able to quickly pivot back to a cash-only system as we no longer have the infrastructure to support it. 

These personal inconveniences at scale turn into catastrophes for economies.

How much would an Internet shutdown cost your country’s economy? Use the Internet Society Pulse NetLoss Calculator to explore how much of an impact Internet shutdowns and service blocks can make.

Disruption to Everyday Activities

Many of us take for granted the ability to go to school or consult with a doctor. But for many people, everyday activities such as these have increasingly moved online. 

Distance learning has skyrocketed in recent years. What was once a necessary response to the COVID-19 pandemic remained a preferred option for many, even after schools reopened for in-person learning. But even students who attend school in person often rely heavily on the Internet to do research and submit assignments. 

Virtual healthcare and telehealth visits have also allowed people, including those in rural areas, to consult with doctors and manage their health wherever they are in the world. 

Not only is the Internet critical for people in remote areas to access more healthcare and education options, but it also provides more accessible options for people with disabilities or mobility problems. 

In the case of a widespread Internet outage, many everyday activities would be more difficult, proving to be a significant disruption for many people. 


Image © Matthew TenBruggencate on Unsplash

Disclaimer: Viewpoints expressed in this post are those of the author and may or may not reflect official Internet Society positions.

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