India uses widespread internet blackouts to mask domestic turmoil

India Leads in Internet Shutdowns, Hindering Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

CHURACHANDPUR, India — During times of civil unrest and political turmoil, authorities around the world frequently cut access to the internet to control their populations and throttle the flow of information. The militaries in Sudan and Myanmar pulled the plug when they carried out armed coups in 2021. Iran flipped the switch when protesters flooded the streets following the death a year ago of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody.

India’s Dominance in Internet Shutdowns

But the country that most frequently deploys the tactic is not an authoritarian state such as Russia or China, digital rights groups say. It is India.

1. Between 2016 and this May, India accounted for more than half of all the shutdowns recorded worldwide by an international coalition of more than 300 digital rights groups led by Access Now, a nonprofit.
2. On more than 680 occasions during that period, state and local officials in India issued legal orders requiring the country’s handful of telecommunication companies to suspend mobile data transmission from cell towers and freeze wired broadband connections.

Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

Indian officials argue that the measure is necessary to prevent the spread of online rumors and contain unrest. But by enforcing a digital blackout, critics say, the government can stifle dissent, cover up abuses and stymie independent reporting that challenges official accounts during times of conflict. The tactic can also exact a drastic, far-reaching economic toll, disrupting commerce, work, and education.

Concerns Raised by the UN

In a report last year about the global use of blackouts, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights warned that the practice infringes on basic rights of expression and may do more harm than good during times of upheaval. The UN agency said, “The inability to access tools to document and rapidly report abuses seems to contribute to further violence, including atrocities. Some shutdowns may even be implemented with the deliberate intent of covering up human rights violations.”

Case Study: Manipur State

Since May, when ethnic bloodshed erupted in Manipur state, in northeast India, the state government controlled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has enforced a draconian internet ban affecting the state’s 3 million people — one of the longest recorded shutdowns in the world — as violence between two ethnic groups spread from village to village, leaving more than 200 dead.

Challenges Faced by Manipur Residents

• Countless workers found themselves out on the street, and hospitals, with online payment systems suspended, struggled to keep operating.
• The internet shutdown shaped the Manipur conflict in profound ways. It allowed the BJP state government — and the state’s ethnic Meitei majority who control it — to dominate the public narrative about the turmoil.
• It impeded efforts by dissenters among the Kuki ethnic minority to spread their message and disseminate photo and video evidence of human rights abuses.
• It effectively kept the roiling conflict, a stark challenge to the BJP’s leadership, behind a veil of invisibility.

India’s Pattern of Internet Shutdowns

While local governments ruled by opposition parties in India also frequently block the internet, the Manipur example highlights a wider pattern in an India governed over the past decade by Modi’s BJP. To maintain their grip on political power and advance their Hindu nationalist agenda, Modi and his ideological allies have often used their control of technology and social media to stifle dissent, promote divisive propaganda — or, in the case of Manipur, pull the digital plug altogether.

Efforts to Circumvent the Internet Ban

To pierce the information veil, Kuki activists this year mounted a digital resistance. Some secretly connected internet cables from an adjacent state to a college campus, where they huddled to spread word of their people’s plight. Others pursued old-school, shoe-leather journalism, forming teams to visit refugee camps and document allegations of war crimes, and collected evidence by transferring videos via Bluetooth or USB drives. Still others drove hours to the border, where they tapped into the faint cellphone signal to download independent commentary about the conflict.

India’s Leadership in Internet Shutdowns

Since 2020, India has been the leader in ordering internet shutdowns, far outpacing Iran and Myanmar, in second and third spots, respectively, according to Access Now. Indian government officials can issue blocking orders that cover relatively small districts or encompass vast states with millions of people. The blackouts tend to last for a few days, though they’re often renewed, and some stretch on for months.

Impact on Daily Lives and Sustainable Development

The internet shutdowns in India have had severe consequences on various aspects of daily life and hinder progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals:

• Hospitals struggle to operate without online payment systems and face challenges in providing quality healthcare.
• Disrupted commerce, work, and education have a negative impact on economic growth and livelihoods.
• Access to information and independent reporting is stifled, limiting freedom of expression and hindering the development of a transparent and accountable society.
• The inability to document and report human rights abuses contributes to further violence and atrocities.

Conclusion

The frequent internet shutdowns in India, particularly in conflict-affected regions like Manipur, raise concerns about the infringement of basic rights, hindrance to sustainable development, and the deliberate suppression of dissenting voices. Efforts to circumvent the blackout demonstrate the resilience of activists in their pursuit of justice and accountability. However, it is crucial for the Indian government to uphold the principles of freedom of expression, access to information, and human rights in order to promote a more inclusive and sustainable society.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements
• SDG 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices
• SDG 4.4: Increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship
• SDG 8.10: Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance, and financial services for all

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Number of internet shutdowns imposed by governments
• Duration of internet shutdowns
• Number of individuals affected by internet shutdowns
• Economic impact of internet shutdowns on commerce, work, and education
• Access to information during internet shutdowns
• Quality of reporting and journalism during internet shutdowns

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: washingtonpost.com

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