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India is No 1 again … for internet shutdowns: ‘almost a form of collective punishment’
- About half the world’s information blackouts were in India last year – surpassing even Myanmar and Iran, according to a recent report
- Authoritarian tendencies and democratic backsliding have become more pronounced under Narendra Modi, analysts say. But it’s not just his BJP at fault
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India has the dubious honour of being the global leader in internet shutdowns for six years running, according to a recent report, with right advocates blaming a rise in “digital authoritarianism” under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration.
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The “Shrinking Democracy, Growing Violence” report released on May 15 by Access Now, a global non-profit organisation focused on digital civil rights, found that the world’s most populous country cut online access more than any other nation last year – being responsible for about half of all internet shutdowns in 2023.
Amid ongoing conflicts and rising geopolitical tensions, enforced internet shutdowns rose by 41 per cent worldwide compared to 2022, the report found. But India’s record is particularly concerning.
“We are seeing a rise in digital authoritarianism in India, and shutdowns are one part of that,” said Shruti Narayan, Asia-Pacific policy fellow at Access Now, who called India’s internet shutdowns “unlawful”. “One reason shutdowns are increasing is that there is no accountability.”
Reasons given for imposing information blackouts in recent years have ranged from protests to academic exams and pre-empting civil unrest.
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India’s 2017 Telecom Suspension Rules provide a legal framework for temporary internet shutdowns of up to 15 days under the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885. But the government has found loopholes to extend information blackouts.
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