Replication Data for: State Control over Telecommunications, Surveillance, and Militant Mobilization

The ongoing debate on the effects of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on conflict focuses on the potential advantages that modern ICTs provide to the parties. While rebel groups utilize ICTs for propaganda and coordination, states capitalize on their control over network infrastructure for intelligence gathering and, in some cases, network shutdowns to disrupt rebel coordination. However, existing accounts often assume that states have total and constant control over the infrastructure, overlooking variations in ownership and control over telecommunication infrastructure between states and over time. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the link between state ownership of telecommunication companies and the emergence of rebel movements. I argue that state ownership and control over telecommunications facilitate surveillance efforts and elicit better information about opposition movements, enabling early detection and suppression of emerging rebel movements before they can pose a significant challenge to the government. Using datasets on state ownership of telecommunications and on militant mobilization, I analyze this relationship with a sample of countries in Africa for the period between 2000 and 2012. The results indicate that state control over telecommunications is associated with a prolonged duration of mobilization for armed groups, providing support for the argument. Complementary country-level analyses extending time period to 2022 reinforce this finding by demonstrating that state control is also linked to a lower probability of civil conflict onset.