Apagones de Internet

Las autoridades del estado de Assam ordenaron suspender los servicios de Internet móvil en los 35 distritos el 29 de septiembre de 2024, entre las 8:30 y las 16:30 (hora local) para evitar malas prácticas durante los exámenes de contratación del gobierno.

Las autoridades de Odisha ordenaron suspender los servicios de Internet móvil en los distritos de Bhadrak y Dhamnaghar durante 48 horas a partir del 28 de septiembre de 2024 para evitar la propagación de mensajes incendiarios tras los disturbios comunitarios provocados por una publicación en las redes sociales.

Las autoridades del estado de Jharkhand ordenaron suspender los servicios de Internet móvil en todo el estado los días 21 y 22 de septiembre de 2024, entre las 8:00 y las 13:30 (hora local), para evitar malas prácticas durante los exámenes de las oposiciones combinadas de nivel de graduado general.

Las autoridades del estado de Jharkhand ordenaron la suspensión de los servicios de Internet móvil en todo el estado los días 21 y 22 de septiembre de 2024, entre las 8:00 y las 13:30 (hora local), para evitar malas prácticas durante los exámenes de las oposiciones combinadas de nivel de graduado general.

Las autoridades iraquíes ordenaron suspender de nuevo los servicios de Internet la mañana del 16 de septiembre de 2024, entre las 6:00 y las 8:00 hora local (+3 UTC). El cierre se produce después de que el Ministerio de Comunicación iraquí anunciara el 28 de agosto de 2024 que cumplirían la petición del Ministerio de Educación de ordenar el cierre de Internet los días de exámenes como parte de sus esfuerzos para evitar las trampas. El cierre nacional se produce dos días después de un cierre regional similar en la región del Kurdistán. En una carta abierta al Primer Ministro de Irak, la coalición #KeepItOn, de la que forma parte la Internet Society, instó recientemente a las autoridades a abstenerse de aplicar cierres de Internet durante los exámenes. La carta señala la falta de pruebas que demuestren su impacto sobre las trampas en los exámenes, el coste económico de los cierres para el país y su violación de los derechos humanos. Irak ordenó más de 40 cierres de Internet el año pasado y más de 30 en lo que va de año, todos ellos relacionados con exámenes en el Gran Irak o en la región del Kurdistán.

Assam State authorities ordered mobile Internet services to be suspended across 28 of the state's 35 districts on 15 September 2024, between 10:00 and 12:00 and 14:00 and 16:00 (local time) to avoid malpractice during the written examination for Class-III government post. Similar orders were given in August 2022 for the Class-III (21 August) and Class-IV (28 August) government post exams but were not during the last exam day on 11 September 2022. These orders come despite a petition in March 2022 to the West Bengal High Court challenging a government move to suspend internet services to control cheating in the Madhyamaik Examinations. from which the court acknowledged but stayed the order. According to a report, the court disposed the matter by saying, “The Rule of 2017 are required to be complied with and the Supreme Court has already laid down the law which is binding under Article 141 of the Constitution, hence, we express hope that while issuing any such order in future, the State authorities will duly comply with the same.” According to the Internet Freedom Foundation, this was an important judgement by the High Court because it would be useful when persuading states to follow the law on internet suspension.

Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of  14 September 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 28 August 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days as part of its efforts to prevent cheating. The national shutdown comes two days after a similar regional shutdown in the Kurdistan region. In an open letter to the Prime Minister of Iraq, the #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams. The letter notes the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on the country, and their violation of human rights. Iraq ordered more than 40 Internet shutdowns last year and more than 30 so far this year, all of which were related to exams either in wider Iraq or in the Kurdistan region.

Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of  12 September 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 28 August 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days as part of its efforts to prevent cheating. The national shutdown comes two days after a similar regional shutdown in the Kurdistan region. In an open letter to the Prime Minister of Iraq, the #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams. The letter notes the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on the country, and their violation of human rights. Iraq ordered more than 40 Internet shutdowns last year and more than 30 so far this year, all of which were related to exams either in wider Iraq or in the Kurdistan region.

Iraq authorities ordered Internet services to be suspended again on the morning of  11 September 2024, between 6:00 and 8:00 local time (+3 UTC). The shutdown follows an announcement by Iraq's Ministry of Communication on 28 August 2024 stating that they will enact the Ministry of Education's request to order Internet shutdowns on exam days as part of its efforts to prevent cheating. The national shutdown comes two days after a similar regional shutdown in the Kurdistan region. In an open letter to the Prime Minister of Iraq, the #KeepItOn coalition, which the Internet Society is a member, recently urged authorities to abstain from implementing Internet shutdowns during exams. The letter notes the lack of evidence demonstrating their impact on exam cheating, the economic cost of shutdowns on the country, and their violation of human rights. Iraq ordered more than 40 Internet shutdowns last year and more than 30 so far this year, all of which were related to exams either in wider Iraq or in the Kurdistan region.

Manipur authorities order Internet services to be suspended across the state’s five valley districts—Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching Districts—following clashes between students and local security forces during a march. Manipur, a state of 3.7 million people, has been embroiled in ethnic clashes and subsequent Internet shutdowns since May 2023. One report notes that the Manipur government partially lifted the ban on Internet services on 14 September, allowing broadband services to reduce "hardships faced by citizens". The restoration of broadband services, however, is subject to stringent conditions to ensure security and prevent misuse: Internet connections will be provided only through static IP, and subscribers are prohibited from using any other connection type. Subscribers are barred from creating Wi-Fi networks or hotspots from their routers or systems. Media Access Control (MAC) binding at the system or router level must be enforced, and social media websites and VPNs will be blocked at the local level. Subscribers must remove any existing VPN software from their systems and are prohibited from installing new ones. There will be physical monitoring to check for any violations of these conditions, and subscribers must change login IDs and passwords daily. 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 in other countries.