India Imposes Highest Number of Internet Shutdowns Globally

India has imposed the highest number of internet shutdowns globally in 2022, a new report has revealed. According to the report published Tuesday by Access Now, a New York based advocacy group that tracks internet freedom, of 187 internet shutdowns recorded worldwide, 84 took place in India. Nearly 60% of India’s internet shutdowns last year occurred in Indian-administered Kashmir, where authorities disrupted access due to “political instability and violence.” In other states, authorities imposed internet shutdowns due to “protests, communal violence and exams.” India has the world’s second largest digital population, with more than 800 million internet users. Critics have said that the government has frequently restricted communication lines to quash dissent. Apart from India, other countries that saw internet shutdowns last year include Ukraine, Iran and Myanmar.