India Imposed Highest Internet Shutdowns Globally In 2022, Says Report

Internet access is essential to a healthy democracy as it enables people to receive and disperse information freely. Citizens, journalists, politicians, and a vast group of people have utilised the internet as a tool to conduct several roles, and it has been observed as a defining marker of a nation's democratic nature.

A recent report released by the internet advocacy watchdog Access Now said that the world's largest democracy, India, imposed by far the highest number of internet shutdowns globally in 2022. With this report, the country tops the list for the fifth successive year for limiting people's internet freedom.

Over 80 Internet Shutdowns In Country

Of the total 187 internet shutdowns recorded globally, 84 took place in India. According to the New York-based digital rights advocacy group's report, about 49 out of the 84 shutdowns were observed in Jammu and Kashmir. Authorities in the country had reportedly disrupted internet access in Kashmir due to political instability and violence. Kashmir, in particular, observed a string of 16 back-to-back orders for three-day-long curfew-style shutdowns in January and February 2022.

In August 2019, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party scrapped Article 370 that gave autonomy to the Jammu and Kashmir valley. Ever since then, the government has regularly imposed communications restrictions on the region citing security reasons. According to an NDTV report, such impositions have faced severe criticism and have been condemned by rights groups across the world.

Blocked Internet Access In 2022

The watchdog group noted that although India once again led the world in terms of internet shutdowns, 2022 marked the first time since 2017 that there were fewer than a hundred shutdowns. After India, second on the list was Ukraine, with the Russian military cutting access to the internet at least 22 times after they waged war against the country. During Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian military engaged in cyberattacks and deliberately destroyed major telecommunications infrastructure.

Third on the list is Iran, with 18 internet shutdowns in 2022, where authorities blocked internet services in response to demonstrations against the government. The country has been witnessing nationwide anti-government protests after the custodial death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. Amini was arrested in Tehran by the morality police for flouting the hijab rules, and her death fuelled people's outrage.

As people continue to increasingly rely on the internet, it is important that they get to enjoy equal rights offline and online. Freedoms of expression, access to information, privacy, and association and assembly are enshrined as fundamental rights for citizens worldwide. However, even in the largest democracies, digital freedom continues to be subjected to political and media restrictions.

Also Read: India's Internet Crackdown: Most Internet Shutdowns For Fourth Year In A Row