As Africa becomes increasingly connected, its economic growth, civic engagement, and access to essential services are more reliant than ever on a stable and open, globally-connected and trustworthy Internet. Yet, infrastructure weaknesses, governance gaps, and deliberate disruptions—such as shutdowns or throttling—threaten this critical lifeline. How can journalists, policymakers and the civil society understand, monitor, and respond to these challenges with clarity and impact?
This hands-on workshop is designed to equip participants with the tools and knowledge to engage with Internet resilience data and respond effectively to Internet disruptions. Drawing on the Internet Society’s Pulse platform—including the Internet Resilience Index and country-level reports—the session will provide a guided introduction to how resilience is measured, why it matters, and what it reveals about the readiness of different countries to withstand or recover from outages.
Participants will explore the importance of taking a holistic view that goes beyond technical performance to also consider governance, market diversity, policy environments, and human capacity. In doing so, they will gain insights into the power of data-driven journalism and evidence-based policymaking in advocating for more resilient digital infrastructure.
The session will also include practical strategies for what to do when the Internet stops: how journalists can keep working during shutdowns or outages, how policymakers can respond in real-time, and how both can collaborate to advocate for transparency, accountability, and change.
To put theory into practice, participants will engage in a collaborative group exercise. Teams will be presented with simulated disruption or resilience scenarios and asked to analyze potential weaknesses, assess the governance and technical context, and develop an advocacy or communication campaign to draw attention to the issue or push for systemic improvements. This applied segment helps bridge data with storytelling, and policy with action.
Whether you're investigating digital disruptions, shaping national connectivity strategies, or advocating for open Internet access, this workshop will strengthen your ability to act with evidence, insight, and influence.
Draft Session Schedule (3 hours total): 09:00 – 09:20 | Welcome and IntroductionOverview of session goals and relevance for journalists and policymakers.
09:20 – 09:50 | How Resilient is Africa’s Internet?Presentation and discussion on measuring Internet resilience using the Internet Resilience Index and Pulse country reports. Explore the importance of a holistic approach, including infrastructure, performance, security, and market readiness.
09:50 – 10:20 | When the Internet Stops: Responding to Shutdowns and OutagesExamine case studies of Internet disruptions in Africa. Discuss how to continue reporting or coordinating during shutdowns/outages, and how to use data for advocacy and accountability.
10:20 – 10:30 | Break
10:30 – 12:50 | Group Exercise: Simulating Disruption and Advocating for ResilienceParticipants are divided into small groups. Each group receives a disruption scenario and associated data. Tasks include identifying root causes, analyzing weak points in resilience, and developing a public awareness or policy campaign in response.
12:50 – 13:00 | Wrap-Up and Next StepsShare key takeaways and explore how participants can integrate resilience monitoring into their work.
