Conflicts trigger globe’s highest rate of internet shutdowns in 2024: NGO
1 month ago

Conflicts trigger globe’s highest rate of internet shutdowns in 2024: NGO

Al Jazeera  

Wars in Gaza, Ukraine and Myanmar among those spurring ‘digital violence’. There were 296 internet shutdowns documented across 54 countries last year, surpassing the 283 shutdowns in 39 countries in 2023, says the report by Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition, published on Monday. Conflict remained the leading cause of internet shutdowns for the second consecutive year, according to the report, with perpetrators employing tactics ranging from jamming devices and severing cables to destroying infrastructure and sabotaging service providers. Israeli ‘digital violence’ in MENA region The Middle East and North Africa region saw 41 internet shutdowns across 17 countries in 2024, down from 77 in 2023. Authorities in 10 MENA countries implemented 18 platform blocks in 2024 as a method of information control, the report said, while armed conflicts drove 12 internet shutdowns, endangering civilians’ safety.

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History of this topic

India sole nation to curb Internet over communal unrest in 2023-24
3 weeks, 3 days ago

India sole nation to curb Internet over communal unrest in 2023-24

The Hindu  

Globally, there were 88 Internet shutdowns due to communal violence in 2023 and 2024 and all of them were in India. In fact, nearly 95% of all Internet shutdowns ordered by the state due to communal violence since 2018 have occurred in India, says a report by Access Now, a digital advocacy group. Chart 1 shows the number of Internet …

Blunt weapon: On Internet shutdowns
1 month ago

Blunt weapon: On Internet shutdowns

The Hindu  

The number of Internet shutdowns in India was slightly lower in 2024 than in 2023, according to the Software Freedom Law Center, India’s annual report. A separate report by the web rights advocacy, Access Now, shows that India continues to lead globally in the number of government-ordered Internet shutdowns. A closer examination of the shutdowns imposed even over the last …

India ranks 2nd in number of internet shutdowns in 2024, top among democracies: Report
1 month ago

India ranks 2nd in number of internet shutdowns in 2024, top among democracies: Report

Live Mint  

India ranked second in terms of internet shutdowns in 2024, as Myanmar ranked first with just one more shutdown than its neighbour, according to a report by Access Now titled ‘Emboldened offenders, endangered communities: internet shutdowns in 2024.’ India has consistently ranked first since 2018. Myanmar imposed 85 internet shutdowns in 2024, followed by India with 84 shutdowns, while Pakistan …

Internet shutdowns highest in 2024 globally, India tops in government-ordered curbs; Indian Navy’s MARCOS join rescue operations at Telangana tunnel collapse site, and more in The Hindu’s top news of
1 month ago

Internet shutdowns highest in 2024 globally, India tops in government-ordered curbs; Indian Navy’s MARCOS join rescue operations at Telangana tunnel collapse site, and more in The Hindu’s top news of

The Hindu  

Number of Internet shutdowns highest in 2024 globally, India tops in govt-ordered curbs India did not impose the highest number of Internet shutdowns last year, with Myanmar seeing one additional disruption in 2024, according to a report by advocacy body Access Now. Telangana tunnel collapse: Indian Navy’s MARCOS join rescue operation Along with experts from L&T and IIT Madras, Marine …

Number of Internet shutdowns highest in 2024 globally, India tops in govt-ordered curbs
Trending News
1 month ago

Number of Internet shutdowns highest in 2024 globally, India tops in govt-ordered curbs

The Hindu  

India did not impose the highest number of Internet shutdowns last year, with Myanmar seeing one additional disruption in 2024, according to a report by advocacy body Access Now. However, the number of shutdowns imposed by the government in charge — the Union and State Governments here, and the military junta in Myanmar — is still higher in India. 296 …

India didn’t lead world in internet shutdowns in 2024: Access Now report
1 month ago

India didn’t lead world in internet shutdowns in 2024: Access Now report

Hindustan Times  

For the first time since 2018, India in 2024 did not lead the world in internet shutdown orders in a year. According to nonprofit digital rights advocacy group Access Now, Myanmar ordered the highest number of shutdowns at 85, edging out India that enforced 84 similar orders last year. The total number of internet shutdowns across the world have increased …

Digital rights group flags lack of transparency in internet shutdowns
1 month, 1 week ago

Digital rights group flags lack of transparency in internet shutdowns

The Hindu  

Internet shutdown orders continue to suffer from inadequate transparency, an annual report by the Delhi-based Software Freedom Law Centre India said. “Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling in Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India, which established the principles of necessity and proportionality in restricting internet access, implementation remains inconsistent, with limited transparency and accountability,” the report said. “The absence of a …

Internet shut down 60 times in 2024, fewer than last year
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Internet shut down 60 times in 2024, fewer than last year

The Hindu  

India saw the fewest number of mobile internet shutdowns in eight years in 2024, rounding out a period where the country became the most frequent deployer in the world of the measure, according to data from the Internet Shutdowns Tracker maintained by the Software Freedom Law Centre, India. In the last month, shutdowns were imposed in Ambala, Haryana, as a …

Internet cuts after Mozambique's disputed vote hit businesses
4 months, 1 week ago

Internet cuts after Mozambique's disputed vote hit businesses

The Hindu  

Uber driver Rofino Fiel said the post-election protests that have convulsed Mozambique for weeks have been disastrous not only because of the running battles on the streets of Maputo - internet shutdowns are bleeding his business dry. Digital rights groups say that there have been at least five mobile internet shutdowns since October 25, alongside social media shutdowns lasting several …

Digital Darkness: India leads the world in internet shutdowns
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Digital Darkness: India leads the world in internet shutdowns

The Hindu  

Published : May 30, 2024 18:36 IST - 1 MIN READ For the past six years, India has led the world when it comes to Internet shutdowns. Over 500 shutdowns just in the last five years were recorded, according to a report released by Access Now, a global non-profit organisation focusing on digital civil rights. Titled “Shrinking Democracy, Growing Violence”, …

India leads in global internet shutdowns for 6th year in a row: Report
10 months, 1 week ago

India leads in global internet shutdowns for 6th year in a row: Report

Hindustan Times  

India logged 116 instances of internet shutdowns in 2023, accounting for 41% of the 283 globally, according to data analysed by Access Now, a not-for profit group that focusses on digital rights. Apart from blocking certain platforms across the country, 13 states in India saw local or statewide internet shutdowns. “Authorities have leveraged internet shutdowns as a blatant tool for …

Internet connectivity — even in 2024 — is vulnerable at a number of levels
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Internet connectivity — even in 2024 — is vulnerable at a number of levels

NPR  

Internet connectivity — even in 2024 — is vulnerable at a number of levels Modern human life relies on a stable internet connection. MCLAUGHLIN: This year so far, in over 120 countries, Belson and his team have tracked disruptions caused by cables damaged underwater, cyberattacks, government action, power outages, technical errors and war. BELSON: I think the continued importance of …

Measuring internet freedom in India in the last 10 years
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Measuring internet freedom in India in the last 10 years

The Hindu  

In the Freedom Journal series, we look at how freedoms in the political, economic, digital and media landscape have evolved in the last decade. The Supreme Court of India, in the landmark Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India case, reiterated that internet shutdowns violate fundamental rights to freedom of expression, and that shutdowns which last indefinitely are unconstitutional. This, however, …

Russia’s ban on social media cost its economy £3.1bn last year
1 year, 2 months ago

Russia’s ban on social media cost its economy £3.1bn last year

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Russia’s ban on access to …

Nuh Violence: How internet shutdowns work in India? Explained
1 year, 7 months ago

Nuh Violence: How internet shutdowns work in India? Explained

Live Mint  

Haryana Nuh Violence: Mobile internet services have been temporarily suspended till August 2 in the Nuh district of Haryana after communal clashes erupted between a group of young men and Vishwa Hindu Parishad during a procession on Monday. Usually, an internet shutdown is ordered as an administrative measure across India for various reasons including communal tensions, etc. In general, an …

Manipur: Violence-hit state tops internet shutdowns in India in 2023 with 83 days of blackout
1 year, 8 months ago

Manipur: Violence-hit state tops internet shutdowns in India in 2023 with 83 days of blackout

India Today  

Manipur has now witnessed the longest internet shutdown in India in 2023. Case in point, after the gruesome video of sexual violence went viral, Chief Minister N Biren Singh told India Today on July 20, “You should not listen to allegations but look at the ground reality. At the same time, Kargil, following the separation of Ladakh as a Union …

Should Internet shutdowns be used to maintain public order?
1 year, 8 months ago

Should Internet shutdowns be used to maintain public order?

The Hindu  

Over the past few years, the Indian government has increasingly been trying to control law and order by shutting access to the Internet, whether in Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur or Punjab. Radhika Jhalani: Since 2012, the number of shutdowns in India recorded by The Internet Shutdowns Tracker maintained by the Software Freedom Law Center stands at 738. Editorial | Overkill: …

Most internet shutdowns in last 3 years to curb protests: Report
1 year, 9 months ago

Most internet shutdowns in last 3 years to curb protests: Report

Hindustan Times  

Eighteen Indian states shut down the internet at least once in the three years between January 2020 to December 2022, the Internet Freedom Foundation and Human Rights Watch noted, highlighting that local authorities used the shutdowns to prevent or in response to protests in 57 instances, to prevent cheating in school examinations or in exams for government jobs in 37 …

Modi government’s internet blackouts hurt the poor and curbed job opportunities, HRW says
1 year, 9 months ago

Modi government’s internet blackouts hurt the poor and curbed job opportunities, HRW says

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy More than 100 internet shutdowns …

DC Edit | Manipur's Net shutdown is excessive and uncalled for
1 year, 9 months ago

DC Edit | Manipur's Net shutdown is excessive and uncalled for

Deccan Chronicle  

One of the easiest routes governments and security agencies take these days to curb popular unrest or disturbances is to shut down Internet services for an infinite period. While deciding a case against the Union government suspending the Internet in Jammu and Kashmir, the court had held that usage of the Internet is a fundamental right under Article 19 of …

Patralekha Chatterjee | Shutting down Internet: Govts need to do rethink
1 year, 10 months ago

Patralekha Chatterjee | Shutting down Internet: Govts need to do rethink

Deccan Chronicle  

Governments across the world are increasingly resorting to Internet shutdowns to stabilise potentially volatile situations, quell protests, and even to deal with problems like cheating in examinations. According to digital rights group Top10VPN, which researches the economic impacts of Internet shutdowns, in 2023 alone, 46 Internet shutdowns in 10 countries cost $761 million till date. In the Northeast itself, the …

How, and Why, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan Shut Down the Internet
1 year, 11 months ago

How, and Why, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan Shut Down the Internet

The Diplomat  

In 2022, most of the countries in Central Asia deliberately disrupted access to the internet in instances of public protests, other forms of open public criticism of government authority, and civil disobedience, citing national security and public safety concerns as justification. Compared to Kazakhstan, the Turkmen government has continuously pursued rigid and centralized control of the internet through a bundle …

India leads in Internet shutdowns, but lacks tool to assess impact - The Hindu
1 year, 11 months ago

India leads in Internet shutdowns, but lacks tool to assess impact - The Hindu

The Hindu  

Earlier this month, the Punjab government suspended mobile Internet and SMS services in the State for more than four days as it launched an operation to arrest pro-Khalistani preacher Amritpal Singh. Map 1 The map shows the State-wise instances of Internet shutdowns recorded between 2012 and March 2023, according to SFLC Chart appears incomplete? It came down heavily on “Internet …

India leads world in cutting internet access for 5th year in a row: report
2 years ago

India leads world in cutting internet access for 5th year in a row: report

The Hindu  

India imposed by far the highest number of internet shutdowns in the world in 2022, internet advocacy watchdog Access Now said on February 28, as the country topped the list for the fifth successive year. Out of 187 internet shutdowns globally recorded by Access Now, 84 took place in India, including 49 in Kashmir, the New York-based digital rights advocacy …

Internet shutdown: Nearly half of global blackouts happened in THIS country
2 years ago

Internet shutdown: Nearly half of global blackouts happened in THIS country

Live Mint  

Digital rights advocacy group Access Now's 2022 report, which covers total blackouts, the suspension of particular phone networks or social media apps and the slowing down of internet connections, was compiled using technical evaluations, news articles and personal testimony. Out of 187 internet shutdowns globally recorded by Access Now, 84 took place in India, including 49 in Kashmir, the watchdog …

In 2022, the world saw 187 internet shutdowns – 84 by India alone
2 years ago

In 2022, the world saw 187 internet shutdowns – 84 by India alone

Al Jazeera  

More than half of those shutdowns were recorded in Kashmir as India leads the Access Now list for a fifth consecutive year. These were the findings of a report released on Tuesday by digital rights watchdog Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition, which said governments are using internet shutdowns as “weapons of control and shields of impunity”. pic.twitter.com/gQzIUaYFo2 — Access …

Welcome to the Era of Internet Blackouts
2 years, 2 months ago

Welcome to the Era of Internet Blackouts

Wired  

The Iranian government’s latest attempts in recent months to stifle protests through internet blackouts, digital curfews, and content blocking have presented a particularly extreme example of how far regimes can go in restricting digital access. But a new report from the internet infrastructure company Cloudflare, released today, highlights the stunning global prevalence of connectivity disruptions and their increasing relevance to …

India’s Kashmir had the most internet disruptions in 2022, says report
2 years, 2 months ago

India’s Kashmir had the most internet disruptions in 2022, says report

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy India-administered Jammu and Kashmir recorded …

'The internet is dead in Iran': Protests targeted by shutdown
2 years, 5 months ago

'The internet is dead in Iran': Protests targeted by shutdown

The Hindu  

Saeed Souzangar, who runs a technology company in Tehran, is adept at navigating frequent internet disruptions to ensure his business can keep operating, but even he has been thrown by nationwide communications outages this month. Iran was one of the countries with the highest number of internet shutdowns last year, with authorities pulling the plug to clamp down on dissent, …

Internet shutdowns can harm democracies, says UN
2 years, 9 months ago

Internet shutdowns can harm democracies, says UN

India Today  

The United Nations has called on countries to stop imposing Internet shutdowns, warning of dire consequences. The UN rights office have said that if they keep imposing internet shutdowns or disruptions they will have to face deadly consequences. The report said the Internet shutdowns would impact the lives and human rights of millions of people. The UN rights chief Michelle …

Internet shutdowns bleeding businesses, hitting country's image
3 years, 3 months ago

Internet shutdowns bleeding businesses, hitting country's image

Business Standard  

On September 26 this year, over 10 districts of Rajasthan, including the capital city of Jaipur, faced a dawn to dusk internet shutdown. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has recently noted that internet shutdowns, often imposed in an arbitrary manner, have led to huge economic losses, untold suffering for the public, and ‘severe reputational damage’ to …

Mobile internet disruptions seen in Iran amid water protests
3 years, 8 months ago

Mobile internet disruptions seen in Iran amid water protests

Associated Press  

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Mobile phone internet service in Iran is being disrupted a week into protests in the country’s southwest over water shortages, a monitoring group said Thursday, unrest that has seen at least three people killed. Internet-access advocacy group NetBlocks.org attributed part of the disruption to “state information controls or targeted internet shutdowns.” It identified the outages …

Myanmar’s Internet Shutdown Is an Act of ‘Vast Self-Harm’
55 years, 2 months ago

Myanmar’s Internet Shutdown Is an Act of ‘Vast Self-Harm’

Wired  

From June 2019 until this February, 1.4 million people in Myanmar's Rakhine state dealt with the longest government-mandated internet shutdown in history, targeted at the Rohingya ethnic minority that makes up most of Rakhine's population. Over the past two months the military junta has continued to use the mechanisms for digital control put in place by Myanmar's previous regimes, escalating …

Why is Myanmar’s military blocking the internet?
4 years ago

Why is Myanmar’s military blocking the internet?

Al Jazeera  

Generals have banned Facebook and other popular platforms and imposed an internet blackout for the past 18 nights. Human rights groups and international business organisations came together to condemn the military government’s moves to legally restrict the internet via a draft Cybersecurity Bill and a series of amendments to the Electronic Transactions Law. “The draft cybersecurity law would hand a …

What Life Is Like Under Myanmar's Internet Shutdown
4 years ago

What Life Is Like Under Myanmar's Internet Shutdown

Wired  

Rumors of a coup were spreading before the military acted. Sophie*, an American software developer, was at home with her young son and her husband Aung*, a union worker and Myanmar national, when Myanmar’s military took control in the early hours of February 1. As the nation’s military leaders arrested Aung San Suu Kyi, president Win Myint, and other senior …

Will internet shutdowns become the norm?
4 years, 1 month ago

Will internet shutdowns become the norm?

Al Jazeera  

Rights groups criticise increasing use of online disruptions to suppress dissent. Internet shutdowns are not new, but rights activists say governments are using the tactic more often to suppress dissent. Myanmar’s army has routinely cut online access since it overthrew the country’s democratically elected government in a February 1 coup. Twitter, meanwhile, is refusing the Indian government’s order to remove …

Digital siege: Internet cuts become favored tool of regimes
4 years, 1 month ago

Digital siege: Internet cuts become favored tool of regimes

Associated Press  

LONDON — When army generals in Myanmar staged a coup last week, they briefly cut internet access in an apparent attempt to stymie protests. Shutdowns can range from all-encompassing internet blackouts to blocking social media platforms or severely throttling internet speeds, the report said. It’s a familiar move by Myanmar’s government, which carried out one of the world’s longest internet …

Digital siege: Internet cuts become favored tool of regimes
4 years, 1 month ago

Digital siege: Internet cuts become favored tool of regimes

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Shutdowns can range from all-encompassing internet blackouts to blocking social media platforms or severely …

The cost of Internet shutdowns
4 years, 1 month ago

The cost of Internet shutdowns

The Hindu  

The movement led by farmers against the Central government’s agricultural laws has become a part of our national and international discourse. A principal concern among these has been the recurrent shutdowns, ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, of Internet services around many border areas of NCR since the unruly incidents on January 26. Many parts of Jammu and Kashmir …

Myanmar Military Shut Down Internet as Thousands Take to Streets Protesting Against Coup
4 years, 1 month ago

Myanmar Military Shut Down Internet as Thousands Take to Streets Protesting Against Coup

News 18  

Myanmar’s junta shut down the internet in the country on Saturday as thousands of people took to the streets of Yangon to denounce this week’s coup and demand the release of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Let’s fight until the last minute for our future.” Myanmar civil society organisations appealed to internet providers and mobile networks to challenge the …

China's Cyberspace Watchdog Shuts Down 18,489 'Illegal' Websites
4 years, 1 month ago

China's Cyberspace Watchdog Shuts Down 18,489 'Illegal' Websites

News 18  

China, which tightly controls the country’s internet access, shut down 18,489 “illegal” websites last year and issued warning notices to 4,551 online platforms, according to the official media. Some of the websites were shut down for promoting online games or dating information in the guise of online courses while others were punished for spreading illegal materials, including pornographic and violent …

India restricted Internet access more than any country, lost $2.8 billion: Global survey
4 years, 2 months ago

India restricted Internet access more than any country, lost $2.8 billion: Global survey

The Hindu  

India is the most economically impacted nation by Internet shutdowns in 2020, a recent global survey has found. The report, titled “Global Cost of Internet Shutdowns in 2020”, has been prepared by Top10VPN, a digital privacy group working to defend digital freedoms through independent reviews and research. According to the report, the total hours of Internet shutdown stood at 27,165, …

Internet shutdowns in 2020 costs India $2.8 billion
4 years, 2 months ago

Internet shutdowns in 2020 costs India $2.8 billion

The Hindu  

Internet shutdowns last year has cost India $2.8 billion, according to estimates by Top10VPN, a digital privacy research group. Top10VPN estimated that more than 1,600 hours of Internet blackouts and 7,000 hours of bandwidth throttling has cost the country about $2.8 billion, accounting to 70% of the total loss of $4 bn to the world economy. Top10VPN defined internet shutdown …

Regulating the Internet: A darogha is a total misfit
5 years, 1 month ago

Regulating the Internet: A darogha is a total misfit

Deccan Chronicle  

The darogha is an anomaly, a disrupter with a bamboo cane quite unsuited to regulate today’s information lifelines. More recently, the Islamic State openly used the Internet to lure, recruit agents, send messages and plan terrorist attacks in Europe and the United States and much more. The research firm estimated a total loss of $1.3 billion for India as a …

I’m living through the longest internet shutdown in history – here’s what life’s like for Kashmiris like me
5 years, 2 months ago

I’m living through the longest internet shutdown in history – here’s what life’s like for Kashmiris like me

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. We may enter the Guinness Book …

How internet shutdowns cost India more than $1.3 billion in 2019
5 years, 2 months ago

How internet shutdowns cost India more than $1.3 billion in 2019

Business Standard  

The Supreme Court of India on Friday ordered immediate review of internet suspension in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. A new study says that India lost over $1.3 billion in internet shutdowns across the country — lasting 4,196 hours in 2019 — making it the third-most economically affected country after Iraq and Sudan, among 21 countries where major …

Internet shutdowns cost the global economy $8 billion last year, report says
5 years, 2 months ago

Internet shutdowns cost the global economy $8 billion last year, report says

CNN  

Hong Kong CNN Business — More than 18,000 hours of internet shutdowns around the world caused by deliberate government action costmore than $8 billion in 2019, a new report estimates. “On the human rights side, these shutdowns clearly impact citizens’ freedom of expression and the right to information and may even result in an increase in violence.” New normal Internet …

India: The world leader in Internet shutdowns
5 years, 3 months ago

India: The world leader in Internet shutdowns

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Ravi Krishnani is a Mumbai-based writer who often writes about environmental issues, internet and technology, and human rights. — Arjun Sethi December 12, 2019 Internet services in UP's Aligarh district suspended till 5 pm in view of protests planned against amended #CitizenshipAct — Press Trust of India December 13, 2019 According to the Internet shutdown tracker, India has …

The ‘largest internet shutdown ever’ in Iran is happening now. Here’s what you need to know
5 years, 4 months ago

The ‘largest internet shutdown ever’ in Iran is happening now. Here’s what you need to know

CNN  

CNN — Iran has gone almost entirely offline as authorities try to stem the spread of nationwide protests that have gripped the country since Friday. Oracle’s Internet Intelligence called it the “largest internet shutdown ever observed in Iran.” In other countries where nationwide protests have rattled the political elite – such as Iraq and Lebanon – social media has played …

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