The cost of internet blackouts were calculated using indicators from groups including the World Bank, International Telecommunication Union and SFLC.
India has topped the list of 21 countries that put a curb to the citizens' internet access in 2020. Data by UK-based digital privacy and security research group Top10VPN also revealed that 8,927 hours of internet shutdowns have costed India 2.8 billion dollars.
Some countries known to limit Internet access or censor material like China and North Korea were not included in the report because researchers relied on publicly available open source information and documented internet and social media shutdowns.
The cost of internet blackouts were calculated using indicators from groups including the World Bank, International Telecommunication Union, and the Delhi-based Software Freedom Law Centre. It includes social media shutdowns in its calculations.
Country wise report
- The report made a mention of the extended curbs on internet use in Kashmir, with suspension of services from August 2019 to March 2020, after government revoked the special status or limited autonomy granted under Article 370 to Jammu and Kashmir and still remaining severely throttled, with only 2G access available.
- With 8,927 hours of black out or curbed bandwidth access, India restricted internet use more than any other nation. This has costed India 2.8 billion dollars loss.
- Belarus suffered the most economically after India, with 336.4 million dollars lost to 218 hours of blackouts and curbs affecting 7.9 million people, amid protests following a controversial presidential election. During the period of restrictions, the report documented a 650% spike in demand for virtual private networks in Belarus, the report said.
- Myanmar imposed blackouts and throttled bandwidth for 5,160 hours in 2020 amid continuing restrictions in the Chin and Rakhine regions, it said.
- Yemen lost 237 million dollars to 912 hours of internet disruptions.
What the report says
- At 27,165 hours, major internet disruptions recorded worldwide in 2020 were higher by 49% compared to the previous year and affected 268 million people, according to the report.
- About 42% of the shutdowns were associated with additional human rights abuses including restrictions on freedom of assembly, election interference and infringements on freedom of the press, it said.
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