Internet shutdowns subvert democracy

The internet is now part of the social, economic and personal life of Indians; it has a role in their political life as well. Governments consider internet bans as an easy tool to bring a difficult situation under control, but such a policy does major harm to democracy.

India has continued to maintain its dubious record of the highest number of government-ordered internet shutdowns among democratic countries, according to web rights advocacy group Software Freedom Law Centre. India recorded 84 internet shutdowns in 2024, and it was surpassed only by the junta-ruled Myanmar, which reported 85 such cases. This is the first time in six years that India has not been named as the country which saw the most number of internet shutdowns. Out of the 84 shutdowns, 41 were related to protests while 23 were triggered by communal violence. Manipur saw the most number of shutdowns (21), followed by Haryana (12), and Jammu & Kashmir (12). India shares an unenviable stature on internet curbs with countries like Myanmar and Pakistan. The three countries together account for about 65% of all internet shutdowns in the world.

The internet is now part of the social, economic and personal life of Indians; it has a role in their political life as well. A ban on or disruption of the internet affects essential services like health and sectors like education. Governments consider internet bans as an easy tool to bring a difficult situation under control, but such a policy does major harm to democracy. It is wrong for democracies to wield it, especially to deal with law and order problems. Dictatorships and countries roiled by civil war have imposed fewer internet shutdowns than India. Communication through the internet should be considered as part of the right to free speech and expression. A ban on it would amount to censorship and a curb on free speech. The fact that many shutdowns were used to counter protests also shows their anti-democratic nature, because they are used against the democratic right of citizens to protest. The Supreme Court has ruled that every internet shutdown should meet the tests of necessity and proportionality. But the court’s direction has not been followed by governments.

It has been pointed out that there is a lack of safeguards against internet shutdowns in the Telecommunications Act, 2023, and the Telecom Suspension Rules, 2024. Serious losses are caused by internet shutdowns. They reportedly cost India $1.9 billion in the first half of 2023. The bans and curbs are counterproductive also, because rumours and fake news spread when normal means of communications are disrupted. There is a need for comprehensive guidelines on the imposition of internet curbs and their lifting. Their arbitrary use shows a lack of commitment to the right of citizens to free speech and the right to know. India should revisit its approach to such shutdowns that do not bring any credit to its democratic credentials.