Cloudflare Logs 49 Internet Disruptions in Q3
Government-directed shutdowns, power outages and natural disasters caused the disruptions recorded worldwide between July and September 2026.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Data Centers
Live Poll
Should governments be allowed to shut off internet access during national exams?
Cloudflare's Q3 2026 Internet Disruptions Report recorded 49 Internet disruptions worldwide from July to September 2026, with 19 government-directed shutdowns. Iraq accounted for 18 of those 19 shutdowns, which were introduced around national examinations.
Why it matters
The findings show that government-directed shutdowns, rather than technical failures alone, drove a large share of global Internet disruptions in the quarter. Cloudflare's measurements provide a standardized view of how such events affect connectivity across countries.
Cloudflare Radar traffic measurements recorded individual Iraq shutdowns lasting between 15 and 90 minutes, with most occurring between August 26 and September 28, 2026. A separate 10-day shutdown in Ethiopia's Tigray region produced a 100% decline in Internet traffic there, though the report does not detail the full causes of each event.
The players
Cloudflare
Cloudflare is a global Internet infrastructure and security company that operates the Cloudflare Radar platform for tracking Internet traffic and disruptions.
The details
Cloudflare recorded the disruptions through its Cloudflare Radar platform and grouped them by cause. Renewed fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray region coincided with a 10-day government-directed shutdown, while a power failure at a Honduras interconnection facility affected at least 11 major service providers.
Timeline
July to September 2026: Period covered by the 49 recorded disruptions.
August 26 to September 28, 2026: Most Iraq government-directed shutdowns occurred.
November 4, 2026: Cloudflare published the report.
Seasonal Patterns
The Q3 2026 report extends Cloudflare Radar's ongoing quarterly tracking of Internet disruptions. It places the quarter's shutdowns and outages within the same measurement framework used across prior reporting periods.
Government-directed shutdowns and power failures can interrupt access to online services for users in affected countries, including during national examinations. Users who depend on continuous connectivity may face service interruptions when infrastructure fails or authorities restrict networks.
The takeaway
Internet disruptions in the third quarter of 2026 were driven mainly by government action rather than technical failure alone. Tracking these events through independent measurement helps show where and why connectivity is lost.
Further reading
For related coverage of the infrastructure behind these networks, see Data Centers.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Intelligentcio.
Live Poll
Should governments be allowed to shut off internet access during national exams?
