An Internet ban will not restore peace in Manipur

General Studies Paper 3

INTRODUCTION

• Manipur is going through internal disturbance and ethnic conflict over the last 2.5 months, and we as the people of India failed to demand accountability from our institutions to protect the fundamental rights of Manipuris. A large section of the Indian population is unaware of the scale of violence in Manipur because of the internet shutdowns and media censorship.

INTERNET SHUTDOWNS IN INDIA

• Since 2016, India has accounted for approximately 58% of all shutdowns documented in the Shutdown Tracker Optimization Project (STOP database).
• India has also beaten Ukraine, which is at number 2 this year. India is the only G20 country that has imposed an internet shutdown more than twice.
• Data reveals that India implemented at least 84 shutdowns in 2022, the most of any country for year.

CRITICISM FOR INTERNET SHUTDOWN

• Internet shutdown orders are governed under the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017, under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.
• The 2017 Rules provide for temporary shutdown of telecom services in a region on grounds of public emergency and give senior bureaucrats from the Home Ministry at the central and state levels the power to order shutdowns.
• The 1885 Act empowers the Central government to regulate various types of telecom services including internet services and grant licenses for them.
• Using Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure: It justifies the communications blockade and the continuance of it, has been a rising trend.
• Section 144 gives a magistrate the powers to enforce a general shutdown of the area if he or she believes that there could be violence in the area.

CRITICISM FOR INTERNET SHUTDOWN

• The internet blackout and restrictions on movement has severely disrupted the lives of millions.
• It has impacted everything, from college admissions to businesses filing tax returns.
• The unavailability of internet has also severely impacted businesses.
• According to ICRIER, internet shutdown had cost the Indian economy about $3.04 billion.
• According to Cellular Operator Association of India (COAI), mobile carriers lost about $8 million a day for shutdown in any of the 22 circles where they operate in the country.

RELATED COURT JUDGEMENTS:

• In Faheema Shirin versus the State of Kerala, 2019, the Kerala High Court declared “the right to Internet access as a fundamental right forming a part of the Right to Privacy and the Right to Education under Article 21 of the Constitution.”
• In Anuradha Bhasin versus the Union of India, 2020, the Supreme Court ruled “that an undefined restriction of internet services would be illegal and that orders for internet shutdown must satisfy the tests of necessity and proportionality.”

VARIOUS TECHNIQUES USED TO SHUT DOWN THE INTERNET

• DNS Tampering: By tampering with Domain Name System (DNS), authorities can redirect or block access to specific websites or services. This can be achieved by altering DNS records, redirecting DNS queries to different IP addresses, or blocking access to certain DNS servers altogether.
• IP blocking: IP blocking is a technique where specific IP addresses are targeted for blocking. Authorities can maintain a blacklist of IP addresses associated with particular websites, platforms, or services, and instruct network infrastructure to deny access to those addresses.
• URL filtering: It involves selectively blocking or allowing access to specific URLs (web addresses). Authorities can employ filtering systems or firewalls that examine the requested URLs and decide whether to allow or block access based on predefined criteria.
• Content filtering and keyword blocking: Governments can employ advanced filtering systems to monitor and block specific keywords, phrases, or content that they deem sensitive or threatening.
• Throttling or slowing down internet speeds: It involves deliberately slowing down internet speeds to the extent that it becomes impractical or impossible to access certain websites or services.

IMPACTS OF INTERNET SHUTDOWNS

• Economic impact: Data from global tracker Top10VPN shows that India suffered a loss of $ 184.3 million in 2022.
• Disruption of communication
• Limitations on education and research
• Impediment to healthcare services
• Impact on fundamental rights
• An internet shutdown can hamper the reach of the on-ground-reporting and cause underreporting of local issues.
• Disrupts political transparency

CONCLUSION

• In an Internet ban, misinformation spreads rather than abates.
• For Manipur, the video clip is a vital moment for a national awakening that must be achieved without any reputational and social harm to survivors of sexual violence and communal hatred.
• Information flows are also necessary to ensure the accountability of the State and central governments in taking steps to ensure truth, justice and reconciliation.