Panel for more safeguards during internet shutdowns

NEW DELHI: The government should explore the possibility of banning particular internet services, such as messengers like WhatsApp and social media websites like Facebook, instead of putting in place blanket internet bans, a panel looking into shutdown of telecommunications and their impact said in its report to Parliament.

The standing committee on communications and information technology, headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, made close to a dozen specific recommendations, including for the government to lay down standard operating procedures and for studies to be done on whether such shutdowns work at all.

The recommendations were based on what the committee said was huge impact of such shutdowns, which curtailed access to critical services.

“The committee notes that internet is of immense importance in the present digital era. It is the lifeline which is propelling businesses and services, permitting students to enrol for important examination, and enabling home delivery of essentials,” it said in its report.

“The committee notes that under the present mechanism... no parameters have been laid down to decide the merit or justice of the telecom/internet shutdowns. Internet shutdowns have been ordered purely on the basis of subjective assessment and reading of the ground situations by district-level officer and is largely based on executive decisions,” it said.

According to a March 2021 assessment by advocacy group Access Now, India “shut down the internet more than any other nation — a total of at least 109 times” out of 105 countries from where data was collated.