The new data protection Bill, IT Rules, internet shutdowns and poor cybersecurity record seen together are ominous. The citizen, not government and Big Tech, should be at the centre of a healthy digital ecosystem. https://thewire.in/rights/g20-india-is-now-the-vishwaguru-of-digital-authoritarianism
But India is also the world’s internet shutdown capital. Last year, 45% of all internet shutdowns were in India. For the past five consecutive years, India has topped the global list of states that cut off the internet for their citizens. Manipur this time saw 100 days straight minus the internet, curbing information and also the rights of those seeking redress or help. Education and utilities suffer greatly too. In India, the casualness with which this is done must ring alarm bells about how the internet can be controlled.
That was only a sign or a symptom of the serious issues citizens of India face online. Far from a “gold standard”, India is writing a manual for digital authoritarians globally. How to dodge the worst of both worlds, an authoritarian government intent on surveillance as well as Big Tech as it draws each ‘data principal’ into its net, is among the biggest challenges Indians face today.
17/08/2023