New Delhi: It has been reported that there has been an increase in internet service blackouts due to various reasons including ethnic conflict and prevention of election malpractices.
A joint study by the Internet Freedom Federation and Human Rights Watch states:
Internet services are being shut down across the country to prevent spread of rumors during protests, communal clashes, to prevent malpractices in school and college exams, to prevent malpractices in exams for government jobs, to prevent violence and to bring the situation under control during other law and order issues.
In 18 out of 28 states in the country, internet service has been shut down at least once in the last 3 years alone. During the protests, the local administration blocked internet services 54 times. Similarly, internet service has been canceled 37 times during school and government exams. 18 times during caste conflicts and 18 times due to other law and order issues, Internet service has been cut off in many states of the country.
Among them, the internet service has been disabled the maximum 85 times in the last 3 years in the state of Rajasthan. It does not include the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Internet services are often shut down to maintain peace there. The central government does not collect data on the frequency of internet blackouts in which states.
Many times there are complaints of internet service being shut down unnecessarily. And even after the internet is shut down, there is no guarantee of people’s safety. This is stated in the study.