• About 60% of Internet shutdowns across the world took place in India between 2016 to 2022.
• Internet shutdowns are any disruptions in access to Internet services.
• The government has imposed shutdown at least 84 times in the past year, which raises concern for the World’s largest democracy.
• It is done in order to subdue situations that turn into riots or dissipate an ongoing disturbance.
• In Jammu & Kashmir, the government has stated in 2020 that it would whitelist some websites and allow access to them through 2G.
• This is impractical solution, as half of the websites don’t load on 2G and even if there are whitelisted websites, it still cannot access the user data present in another domain. 

Mechanism for Internet Shutdown:

• The government or entrusted entities have the power to ask Internet Service Providers (ISP) to restrict network connectivity in a certain region.
• ISPs can make the underlying Internet Protocol (IP) address of all websites and servers inaccessible.
• It makes use of phone number and location data to track and remove access.
• Domain Name System (DNS) Blocking: it is a mechanism that allows preventing access to certain web pages on the server.
• Other sophisticated methods include throttling, and blacklisting among others.

Reasons for Shutdown:

• The official reason for 40-50% of shutdowns is communal tensions.
• Some of the Shutdown are imposed during protests, or to prevent cheating during exams, or due to religious processions.
• Other reasons may also include to prevent the rapid spread of misinformation or provocative content during difficult times.
• Preventive shutdowns are imposed before an event takes place.
• For example, following the circulation of disturbing videos on communal or controversial issues that can anticipate a communal riot.
• A reactive shutdown is imposed after an event takes place and is the easiest way to control an escalating law and order situation.

The applicable judgements and legislations:

• Article 19 of the Constitution mentions freedom of speech and freedom to practise any profession.
• Article 21 of the Constitution protects the right to life and liberty, which also encompasses the right to education and the right to exercise one’s freedom to access the Internet.
• Article 92 of the Constitution states for reasonable restrictions to be imposed wherever necessary.
• The grounds include a threat to the nation, to national sovereignty, integrity and defence, or to avoid incitement to, or commission of, a cognizable offence.

Anuradha Bhasin v/s Union of India, 2020:

• Supreme Court (SC) ruled that an undefined restriction of internet services would be illegal and that orders for internet shutdown must satisfy the tests of necessity and proportionality.
• The right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a), and right to trade or business under 19(1)(g), using the medium of internet is constitutionally protected.
• Shutdowns should be exercised only in situations of exceptional control and surveillance.
• It needs to be temporary, limited in scope, and under the prescribed law.

Faheema Shirin R. K v State of Kerala & Ors, 2019:

• The Right to use the Internet is associated with the Right to Education and Privacy under Article 21 of Indian Constitution.
• UN General Assembly has adopted the right to access the Internet based on the resolution by Human Rights Council.
• It requires the state to give access to the internet and communications for educational purposes.

Related Laws:

• The Information Technology Act, 2000 maintains that threats to national sovereignty or integrity or defense call for website blocking based on specified rules for safeguards.
• Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017:
• It provides for temporary shutdown of telecom services in a region on grounds of public emergency (up to 15 days at once).
• The Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 empowers the central government to regulate various types of telecom services including internet services and grant licenses for them.

Implications:

Basic services:

• The ability to access online services, avail the benefits of government schemes, and make digital payments is routinely impacted.
• India cannot drive change, including through the G20 presidency or be a leader of open societies if people are deprived of access to an open and secure internet.
• Mobile Internet Services used by the majority of Internet subscribers (more than 90%), remain suspended.
• It has greater penetration than broadband and wi-fi particularly in rural areas.
• People are unable to work, access telemedicine, study purposes and Internet for OTP (one-time password).

Digital Divide:

• The use of the permitted Internet Lease Line or Fibre to the home connections is limited to a small section (5%), and largely to urban institutional users.
• People are left with fewer resources and this deepens the digital divide.
• It contradicts the government’s vision of a Digital India.

Accountability:

• Internet access is also conditional on MAC Address binding, static IPs, and a ban on Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
• Media Access Control address (MAC address) is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for use as a network address.
• VPN describes the opportunity to establish a protected network connection on use of public networks.
• It disguises the online data traffic and protects from external access by hackers and cyber criminals.
• These measures enable monitoring of online activities and tracing of the user’s location.
• It impedes the exercise of the rights to free expression, freedom of assembly, and privacy amid a crisis.
• It affects the flow of information from and to the state, weakens reporting, and the ability to bring those responsible for the ongoing disturbances to account.

Economy:

• Internet and social media restrictions have economic costs that impact individuals and the country.
• It leads to economic loss and unemployment.
• An estimate suggests that internet shutdown in 2022 caused a loss of over Rs 1,500 crore.
• Issues for unorganized sectors, especially amongst women are increased.

Arguments against Shut down:

• Various civil society organizations and human rights activists oppose shutdowns like a social media blockade or a complete blockade.
• This is because decisions are not made by following due process.
• Nobody below the level of a Joint Secretary can impose a shutdown, but often, district magistrates impose blanket shutdowns.
• To impose an Internet shutdown is to essentially curb fundamental rights.
• Rule 5 of the Temporary Suspension Rules states that a review committee has to be formed within five working days (of issue of directions for suspension of services).
• There are instances of ignoring the guidelines given in Anuradha Bhasin judgment.
• The accountability of the review committee is questioned on basis of transparency, members and favourism.
• There is a lack of public information, Impunity and lack of answers about a shutdown.
• Improper restoration of connectivity violates the fundamental right to free expression and access to information.
• The whitelisted websites allow access through 2G, which is an impractical solution.
• It is a strategy to permit browsers to access the list of approved Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) while blocking the rest of the websites.

Internet shutdowns in their current form prohibit access to all types of information and services on the Internet.  The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) should formulate a policy to selectively restrict the use of certain services instead of banning the internet as a whole.  This will ensure minimum inconvenience to the general public and meet the objectives such as curbing misinformation. The Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology recommended conducting a study on the impacts and effectiveness in dealing with public safety and public emergency.