India Tops Global Internet Shutdowns for the Sixth Year

May 16, 2024

For the sixth year in a row, India had the most number of Internet shutdowns reported anywhere in the world in the year 2023. There were 116 incidents in which the Internet was purposefully disconnected in different regions of the country, as reported by the Keep It On coalition, which is a civil advocacy group.

Reasons for Shutdowns

People say that these shutdowns are happening because of things like racial tensions, ongoing crime, and test times, among other things. Most of the time, these shutdowns are done to stop the spread of false information during dangerous times or to stop people from cheating on tests. But they have been faulted for being too general and having big side effects.

What are the Effects of Internet Shutdowns?

These Internet shutdowns have huge effects, especially in places like Manipur where they made it harder to record and report serious human rights crimes like murder, violence against women, and arson. This, in turn, changed how the people who did these horrible things could be held responsible. Disruptions also hurt companies and services that depend on being connected to the Internet, which makes the social cost even higher.

Regional Impact and Significant Incidents

This event tended to affect bigger areas rather than small, isolated ones. Multiple districts in the same state or area were affected by 64 shutdown orders in 2023. Notably, racist violence caused 47 shutdowns in the state of Manipur. As a result of the search for pro-Khalistani speaker Amritpal Singh in Punjab, the whole state was not allowed to use the Internet.

About economic impact of internet blocks

GDP Growth: Internet blocks slow down GDP growth a lot. When the internet went down between 2015 and 2016, the Brookings Institution said it cost the world economy $2.4 billion. When these problems happen, they slow down the economy and cause big financial loses.
Impact on Small Businesses:When the internet goes down, small companies lose access to markets and other important services. Businesses of all sizes can reach more customers through the internet, but when it goes down, it can seriously limit their ability to run and make money.
Problems with Innovation: Internet blocks mess up research and development (R&D) and the digital innovation flow in fields that depend on new ideas a lot. This can slow down technological progress and make businesses that are affected less competitive.
Investor Confidence: When the internet goes down, investors lose faith, which could mean less foreign direct investment (FDI). Investors want to put their money in places that are safe. If there are a lot of problems in a country, it may lose investors, which hurts long-term economic growth.
Indirect Effects on the Economy: When the internet goes down, businesses may not be able to run as smoothly, which can raise jobless rates. These problems can also make social unrest worse, which can make the economy even less stable and start a circle of social and economic instability.

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