Nowadays the internet has become a part of basic needs that people need to survive. I don’t think so if people can imagine living their life without access to the internet. We are dependent on the internet for almost all of our work, let it be in education, online banking and transactions, professional work or communication. Life feels incomplete without the internet. But there come some situations which make it very necessary to shut down the internet.
Talking about some recent series of events, recently the Internet has been shut down in Punjab amid the arrest of Amritpal Singh, an Indian Khalistan separatist and the leader of Waris Punjab De group. This action was taken when Police launched a massive operation against Amritpal for chasing him. The government does not want to disturb the peace of the public by protests and does not want rumours to spread, so the services are suspended.
What Is Internet Shutdown?
So internet shutdown refers to a situation in which internet or electronic communications are disrupted intentionally for a specific group of people or within a location. This suspension of services is also known as ‘Kill Switch’. Let it be the Government or private sector who have authority to shut down the internet. It may affect the whole country, various countries or a region within a country and may take up to several hours to months depending upon the situation. Internet shutdowns in India are tracked by a non-profit Software Freedom Law Centre (SFLC) which is based in Delhi.
History Of Internet Shutdown?
This practice of shutting down the internet in India became common from 2012 following an incident in which tailor Kanhaiyalal Teli was brutally killed on camera by two men in Udaipur on which Rajasthan Government imposed a ban on internet services. The suspension of services as an administrative or law-and-order measure became normal due to various reasons by several political parties and governments. There have been around 700 Internet shutdowns in India since 2012 as per the Software Freedom Law Center.
Why Is Internet Shutdown Important?
To ensure Peace and Stability in public, the law and order administration lays down the order to shut down the internet as a preventive measure. To ensure public safety by stopping the mass protests and civil unrest. It is important to block restive groups to organise riots against the Government and worsen the situation.As the internet has become the most used source of communication, the authorities shut the internet so as to stop the spread of misinformation, fake news, and spreading hatred against various communities or religious groups. Also to stop the spread of rumours through social media. It is necessary to block the flow of information about government actions and end communications among the activists.
Also Read: Amritpal Singh’s Arrest An Immediate Action Or A Pre-Planned Operation? Details Inside