CONTEXT  In recent times, movement led by farmers against the Central government’s agricultural laws has become a part of our national and international discourse. Besides the contentious legislation, the manner in which the Centre introduced the Bills and its actions towards countering the movement also has raised plenty of concerns. 

PRINCIPAL CONCERN

• Among all, the major concern has been the recurrent shutdowns of Internet services around many border areas of the National Capital Region (NCR) ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• In recent years, India has witnessed internet blockages so frequently that it has topped the chart of number of shutdowns among all other democracies in the world. The past four years have seen over 400 such shutdowns.
• Jammu and Kashmir saw the longest Internet shutdown across the world since the abrogation of Article 370 in the erstwhile State.
• It was only after a long period of 223 days, when digital services were partially restored.

Concerns

• Many, including UN rights groups, have termed the internet shutdowns as a form of collective punishment for people and an overreach of governments on citizens’ rights and liberties.
• Currently, Indian laws have vague provisions for suspending telecommunication services, including the Internet, during times of public emergencies, or, if required, for protecting the public interest.

IMPACT OF INTERNET SHUTDOWNS

• During pandemic, the impact becomes more pronounced. The ones with good connectivity and know-how of digital tools were able to carry on with their lives with relatively fewer disruptions, while others without digital literacy or connectivity found themselves completely left out of all social and economic systems.
• Blanket bans on digital connectivity during the COVID-19 crisis may breed deep-rooted societal difficulties.
• The most vulnerable among us may be cut off from health and welfare alerts.
• There could be breaks in vital digital services, including those currently being used by hospitals to monitor the well-being of their patients at risk of infection, including the elderly, and pregnant women.
• Students may lose access to avenues of learning as classes shift online.
• Journalists may find it impossible to do ground-reporting from already volatile areas.
• The economic activity in affected areas may freeze and cause large-scale disruptions in economic output, today almost all white­collar employment sectors, including IT, financial and consulting services, are encouraging their employees to work from home.
• India is estimated to have lost over ₹20,000 crore in 2020 because of Internet shutdowns.

SUPREME COURT VIEW ON SHUTDOWN

In 2020, the Supreme Court had declared that the Right to Access the Internet is one of our fundamental rights alongside the freedom to carry on any trade, business or occupation over the medium of the Internet, under Article 19 of the Constitution.

WAY FORWARD

• Despite the costs and inconveniences involved, the shutdowns, on very rare occasions, do become necessary evils. However, it is hard to classify the ones initiated by the Central government in recent years under those categories.
• As the pace of globalisation, digitisation and connectivity accelerate, balancing civil liberties with security concerns will become an increasingly difficult task. Governments must find a way other than digital curbs to balance civil liberties and security.
• Internet bans should be a last resort and must be enforced following well-formulated protocols.
• Emergency response and relief systems for the vulnerable have to then work in parallel.
• Upgrading cyber divisions of law enforcement agencies with new-age innovations may offer several alternatives.
• The use of some of these technologies, including mass surveillance systems and communication interceptors, also presents its own ethical dilemmas.
• Therefore, governments will have to create modern, independent institutions that have the authority and expertise to create frameworks that meet these challenges, without falling back on measures that result in state overreach.

Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-cost-of-internet-shutdowns/article33777210.ece