Regional shutdown
Jammu and Kashmir
Internet services were suspended in the Anantnag district on 27 January 2020. It is believed to be imposed under Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code, which allows the government to impose curfews and other restrictions to maintain public order.
Internet shutdowns during protests or civil unrest impact the ability of citizens to get accurate information from government sources when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country or other countries.
- Total Duration 1 day, 23 hours
India
- Population
- 1,463,865,525
Freedom House rates Internet freedom as Partly Free
Local impact
Internet services were suspended in the Anantnag district on 27 January 2020. It is believed to be imposed under Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code, which allows the government to impose curfews and other restrictions to maintain public order.
Internet shutdowns during protests or civil unrest impact the ability of citizens to get accurate information from government sources when they need it most. It also becomes harder for citizens to contact family members and friends in other parts of the country or other countries.
Related documentation
On January 28, 2020, following the previous restrictions, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir issued Government Order No. 07(TSTS) of 2020. This directive extended the period of regulated internet access, maintaining the use of low-speed 2G connectivity and the strict whitelisting of approved websites while continuing the total ban on social media platforms.
The order emphasized that these measures were essential to prevent the "facilitation of terror activities" and the transmission of provocative material. By renewing these restrictions every few days, the administration created a period of prolonged digital uncertainty, where the "whitelist" approach acted as a sophisticated firewall, filtering all online content accessible to the citizens of the Kashmir Valley.
Social media
Thousands of jobs lost as Internet shutdown cripples tourism in Kashmir, reports @atharparvaiz. Tourist arrivals down by 86%, artisans & weavers jobless. https://t.co/pgEOCnPDqe via @IndiaSpend — Samar Halarnkar (@samar11) January 28, 2020
Thousands of jobs lost as Internet shutdown cripples tourism in Kashmir, reports @atharparvaiz. Tourist arrivals down by 86%, artisans & weavers jobless. https://t.co/pgEOCnPDqe via @IndiaSpend — Samar Halarnkar (@samar11) January 28, 2020
there are well over 1 billion sites on the world wide web (1,518,207,412. But if you are living in Kashmir then you have access to 300 websites only... TC. Only 2G network avivbale to access these websites. After internet return to Kashmir after 167 days of shutdown..@UN pic.twitter.com/BHAJhXEmY1 — bhat tawseef (@ssoft_hearted) January 31, 2020
In kashmir No #broadband #internet access for 180th day on today since 5th of Aug 2019, 6 months long broadband internet #shutdown still continued in #india administered #Kashmir @BSNL_JK @BSNLCorporate @UN @internetfreedom pic.twitter.com/vIqWdYuSIt — Suhaib Arft (@SuhaibAft) January 31, 2020