Internet shutdowns in India are rising and why you should care?
Over the past few years, the number of instances in which Internet access was blocked for entire regions by the Indian Government has been steadily climbing. These “Internet shutdowns” are usually instituted as responses to conflict situations i.e. to prevent rumor-driven escalations of civil unrest, but they are also instituted at times for reasons far more trivial, such as to prevent cheating during examinations. This rise in frequency and broadening of reasons behind shutdowns, even in the face of strong international condemnation of the practice, are causes for concern as they not only threaten the democratic working of nations but also point to the gradual normalization of the mindset that permits such blanket restriction on Internet access.
For both 2016 and 2017, India has had the highest number of internet shutdowns, with 14 instances in 2016 and 40 in 2017. Unlike most other countries, shutdowns in India have also overwhelmingly been ordered by local governments, including police, instead of by national authorities. On August 7, 2017, the Ministry of Communications in India issued rules for shutting telecom services — and by extension, the shutdown of internet services across India. These regulations were quietly developed without civil society participation, or even notice, despite active advocacy on the issue from key stakeholders. Although these new regulations may limit who can order shutdowns, they bypass a more fundamental question: do shutdowns have any place in a democratic society? Regulators should not assume that Indian Constitution or telecom laws allow shutdowns, but rather invite public comment and expert hearings on that question, before passing regulations legitimizing the practice. Further, the regulations continue to allow shutdowns to occur without interrogating the justifications or establishing a high bar for when they can be enacted.
There were at least 104 Internet shutdowns in 20 countries in 2017 ranging from a few hours to months, says the #KeepItOn team at Access Now who track worldwide reports of shutdowns. Justifications for shutdowns vary, but there is mounting evidence that ‘Access to the Internet’ is used as a tool of control and oppression by the authorities of different countries, for instance — to silence opposition voices during protests or elections.
Shutdown instances counted in 2017 more often target local or regional populations instead of national ones, which makes them harder for civil society groups fighting to keep the Internet open to track and document. Access Now says it could be a trend, but that it’s hard to say for sure. We hear less about these shutdowns in the news — even within the countries affected. India alone has authorized dozens of shutdowns concentrated in the north of the country, far away from the urban centers of Bangalore or Mumbai where outages would never go unnoticed.
What is an internet shutdown?
An internet shutdown happens when someone — usually a government — intentionally disrupts the internet or mobile apps to control what people say or do. Shutdowns are also sometimes called “blackouts” or “kill switches.” Here’s a more technical definition developed by experts: “An internet shutdown is an intentional disruption of the internet or electronic communications, rendering them inaccessible or effectively unusable, for a specific population or within a location, often to exert control over the flow of information.”
Why is this a problem?
Internet shutdowns pose a threat to human rights around the world. They harm everyone: businesses, emergency services, journalism, human rights defenders, and demonstrators. They don’t help victims or restore order.
Types of Shutdown
49 of the 73 recorded shutdowns targeted mobile Internet services, and 10 targeted both mobile and fixed-line services. So far, no shutdowns have targeted fixed-line Internet services alone, and the targets of 14 shutdowns are unknown.
Duration of Shutdowns
27 of the 73 recorded shutdowns lasted for less than a day, 17 lasted for 1–3 days, and 16 lasted for more than 3 days. No information is available on the duration of 13 shutdown instances.
Nature of Shutdowns
Of the 73 shutdowns recorded since 2012, 37 were preventive in nature i.e. imposed in anticipation of a law and order problem, while 36 instances were reactive in nature i.e. imposed in response to an ongoing law and order problem.
Why Should You Care?
Digital India is now a reality.
Demonetisation has reminded us of the State’s power over essential facilities in the economy and society, while the push towards “universal payments” and cashless India demonstrates all the more that the availability of the mobile Internet is now absolutely necessary for the flow of the economy’s lifeblood.
An Internet shutdown is more than just a disconnection from Whatsapp, Facebook or Twitter; it means limiting opportunities for artists who showcase their talent through YouTube or SoundCloud, entrepreneurs who have leveraged the web that lets them amplify an idea without burning a hole in their pocket, or restricting avenues for learning that are provided by platforms like Coursera or edX. We Indians while still struggling for Right to Pee for our women and Right to Live for our many sections to count a few, we are yet to grasp the idea of Right to Internet. During an Internet shutdown, students are unable to appear for various examinations; mitigation agencies, journalists, and families are unable to establish contact in crisis-hit zones, and dispersal of benefits through various e-governance schemes is hindered.
A report by the Brookings Institute, which aimed to quantify the losses suffered by various countries due to such internet shutdowns, adjudged India to have topped the list by incurring losses to the tune of US $968 million in the year 2016 itself, calculating only 22 internet shutdowns out of 31. With businesses adapting to the online business model, disruption of Internet services for even 24 hours brings their businesses to a halt due to the breakdown of communication channels with their potential customers, payment gateway operators, delivery personnel and other such intermediary parties involved.
In many countries across the world, Intenet shutdowns have been used as a tool to constrict the functioning of the democratic process by restricting internet access at strategic times, like during an election as was the case in Ghana, or during a public mobilization as was witnessed in Egypt. The United Nations Human Rights Council passed a resolution on 1st July 2016, condemning network disruptions and measures resorted by states to curb online access and/or dissemination of information. This resolution affirmed that rights in the online sphere, especially the right to freedom of expression requires the same standard of protection as in the offline world.
Summary
Being without Internet access is extremely disruptive for students, families and work life. It can be traumatic and even life-threatening to be without Internet access in times of conflict or terrorist attacks. Shutdowns have far-reaching implications for safety, free speech and even the network itself.
Shutdowns are unhealthy for the Internet. We need more legal safeguards against them, nationally and internationally. With more research and evidence-gathering to determine how many shutdowns occur and why we can hone in on tactics and technologies to stop them for good.
