Experience the shutdown: a role-playing simulation of digital survival under authoritarianism

Welcome to the shutdown is an interactive role-playing simulation where participants embody civil society actors in a fictional country during a high-stakes election at risk of an internet shutdown. Players take on roles such as journalists, election observers, human rights activists, and everyday citizens, each with distinct goals and constraints.

As the simulation unfolds, players face escalating challenges to overcome: increasing internet censorship, surveillance and internet shutdowns. They must collaborate, adapt, and find creative ways to communicate, document, and inform; mirroring real tactics.

This isn’t a lecture. It’s a hands-on interactive experience designed to make the crisis of an internet shutdown tangible and highlight the importance of preparedness.