The State of Internet Shutdowns in India

The report reveals a worrying trend: India imposed as many as 84 internet shutdowns in 2022 , topping the list of countries enforcing internet shutdowns for the fifth consecutive year. These shutdowns were triggered by various events, including elections, protests, school exams, and conflicts.

Key Findings of the Report:

• The Threat of Digital Authoritarianism:
  • Internet shutdowns are often seen as acts of digital authoritarianism.
  • The report suggests that authorities resort to shutdowns to conceal serious human rights abuses and disrupt communication among individuals and communities. This practice also hampers the delivery of humanitarian aid and human rights monitoring.
• The Situation in India:
  • In 2022, Jammu and Kashmir experienced the highest number of internet shutdowns – 49 instances.
  • Rajasthan and West Bengal followed with 12 and 7 shutdowns respectively.
• The Global Scenario:
  • By the end of 2022, residents of Tigray, Ethiopia had been living under a complete communications blackout for over two years, with many still disconnected.
  • In regions across Myanmar, people had been without internet for over 500 days by March 2022.
  • Ukraine had 22 shutdowns in 2022, making it second only to India. Iran with 18 shutdowns and Myanmar with seven followed suit.
  • A total of 187 internet shutdowns were recorded across 35 countries in 2022.
  • Out of these 35 countries, 33 had enforced internet shutdowns before.

Intervention by the Supreme Court:

• The Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgment in the case of Anuradha Bhasin versus Union of India on 10th January 2020. The case was filed in response to the internet suspension in Jammu & Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 .
• This judgment reaffirmed the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) and the freedom to practice any profession under Article 19 (1)(g) over the medium of the internet.
• Additionally, the apex court ruled that any internet ban should have a legal basis and be disclosed to the public.
• Right to Information requests revealed that state governments often failed to comply with the Supreme Court's directives regarding internet bans.

The Repercussions of Internet Shutdowns

• Economic activities such as trade and transactions are severely disrupted.
• The education sector suffers, leading to diminished learning outcomes.
• Access to healthcare and humanitarian aid is also severely impacted.