India Enforced Most Internet Shutdowns In 2021, Fourth Year In A Row: Report
India remains the country with most number of internet shutdowns for fourth year in a row, a report by digital rights advocacy group Access Now says.
In 2021, India disrupted internet connectivity about 106 times, the highest for any country in the world. Globally, there were 182 internet shutdowns in 34 countries. The report by Access Now is titled "The return of digital authoritarianism: Internet shutdowns in 2021"? and tracks a year worth of internet shutdown data.
The same group reported 159 shutdowns in 29 countries in 2020. "We saw a global increase of 23 shutdowns from 2020 to 2021," the report wrote. In 2020, India imposed 109 internet shutdowns.
Asia-Pacific loves internet shutdowns
Myanmar took the second spot after India for most internet shutdowns in 2021, with a total of 15, followed by Sudan and Iran with five internet shutdowns each. ¡°In 2021, authorities deliberately shut down the Internet at least 182 times across 34 countries. India is the world¡¯s largest offender, and blacked out the internet at least 106 times,¡± the report says.
Also read:?India Loves Internet Shutdowns: States Impose Over 500 Connectivity Blackouts In 10 Years
Of the 106 internet shutdowns in India, at least 85 were in Jammu and Kashmir. The report adds that internet connectivity was curbed for a range of reasons - from curbing protests to preventing online frauds.
Most internet shutdowns, 129 of them, took place in the Asia-Pacific region comprising seven countries - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Pakistan.?According to Top10VPN's report, internet shutdowns cost India about $2.8 billion.
Also read:?India Saw 1,157 Hours Of Internet Shutdowns In 2021 Costing Tax Payer ?4,300 Crore
If you wish to read the complete report, you may do it here.
What do you think about internet shutdowns? Are these shutdowns against founding principles of democracy? Let us know in the comments below.?For more in the world of?technology?and?science, keep reading?Indiatimes.com.?
References
Hern¨¢ndez, M. D. (2022, April 28). Report: Who shut down the internet in 2021? Access Now.?
