India has taken the number one position in the world for the highest number of internet shutdowns by the government.
The data, which was compiled by Software Freedom Law Centre, showed that there were 121 instances till date this year when the government authorities had shut down the internet.
The government has cited riots, safety of citizens, hate crimes and according to the Times of India report, prevention of cheating in examinations as reasons for the internet shutdown.
Software Freedom Law Centre defines internet shutdown as disallowing the access to the internet within one or more localities for a time period, reports TOI.
India has scored 43 out of 100, two more than 2017. The points system works in a way that higher the points, lesser the freedom. Hence, zero is fully free and 100 is 'no freedom at all'.
The table also shows that Jammu and Kashmir has had the maximum number of internet shutdowns since 2012 at 112 while Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Jharkhand, and Chandigarh have had one each since 2012.
In 2017, there was a total of 71 internet shutdowns.
While in 2012, there were only three instances of internet shutdown in the country in total.
At the moment, India is in the "partially free" category.
Internet shutdown order given by the government authorities is done using the Section 144 of the Criminal Penal Code which bans the gathering of more than four people in an area.
"India leads the world in number of internet shutdowns, with over 100 reported incidents in 2018 alone. In Tamil Nadu, a video showing a child being kidnapped went viral on WhatsApp with a warning of child kidnappers on the prowl. The video is originally an announcement against child kidnapping from Pakistan," the report said.
The report claims that there have been fewer instances of internet shutdown in countries like Pakistan, Syria, Iraq and Turkey.
