Thread by @internetfreedom

Thread 🧵

Did you know that Rajasthan has the second highest number of internet shutdowns in India? Here is what we are doing about it. 1/n

internetfreedom.in/rajasthan-govt…

Earlier this month, we wrote to the Rajasthan Govt bringing to its notice that internet shutdowns are being ordered by Divisional Commissioners who are not empowered to do so under the Telecom Suspension Rules 2017. 2/n

The State Level Review Committee is also not functioning properly and existing data suggests that it has only been reviewing around 25% of all internet shutdowns. 3/n

Proactive publication of internet shutdown orders as mandated by the SC in Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India is absent as well. These legal orders must be published on official govt websites and also through print and electronic media. 4/n

In addition to fixing these problems, we have urged the Rajasthan Govt to commission an independent study to evaluate the effectiveness of internet shutdowns at preventing violence and examine less restrictive alternatives such as fact-checking or removing specific posts. 5/n

Internet shutdowns are a pan-India problem requiring sustained engagement with several state governments. Help us keep up this long term and resource intensive work by becoming an IFF member today! 6/n

internetfreedom.in/donate/