back to article India responds to internet shutdown criticism... by codifying rules to make it legal

The Indian government has responded to fierce criticism of its increasing use of internet shutdowns by codifying rules for when the extreme measure is allowed. In a notification [PDF] published earlier this month, the Indian Ministry of Communications has published the process and authority required for a cutoff of internet …

  1. corestore

    "to ensure it is in accordance with the law – ie, that it was ordered "due to public emergency or public safety."

    In what universe can public safety be enhanced by disabling communications?

    1. a_yank_lurker

      @corestore - "In what universe can public safety be enhanced by disabling communications?" - it's not about safety but control. The situation in Houston is prime example of why you want comm systems to stay up.

    2. Steve the Cynic

      "In what universe can public safety be enhanced by disabling communications?"

      One where "public safety" means "safety from the public" in much the same way as "fire safety" means "safety from / in the presence of fire". That is, as a means of ensuring that members of the government are safe from members of the public.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It also means that, unlike European and North American countries, the ability to force internet shutdowns will become official and formalized in India,

    Give them time.

    1. Mark 85

      It'll take the US and UK time to get over the hurt feelings that they didn't think of it first.

  3. veti Silver badge

    This is a Good Thing

    What's worse than a system where high-ranking bureaucratic or political appointees can sign an order to shut off the internet, for a defined limited time, subject to prompt review?

    Well, a system where unknown bureaucrats can shut it off for as long as they deem necessary, without even signing their names to anything, without a formal review process, and without anyone even knowing who made the decision. A.k.a. "the status quo".

    This is a big step forward. Why are we complaining?

    1. Tom Samplonius

      Re: This is a Good Thing

      "This is a big step forward. Why are we complaining?"

      Because making Internet shutdowns illegal would be easier from a regulatory point of view, and better.

      1. veti Silver badge

        Re: This is a Good Thing

        No, it'd be far worse from a regulatory point of view - because as the evidence clearly shows, it wouldn't be enforced. The net would still be shut down, except that it would be made to look like an "accidental" outage, like Japan's last weekend.

        These rules at least have the potential to be enforced. And if they're not, voters have all the information they need to ask "why not?". There's a single named official in each district who's responsible for shutdowns. That's called accountability, and it's not quite the same as transparency but it is a necessary prerequisite for it.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: This is a Good Thing

      I see your point but at the end of the day this is something their government has already been doing without any oversight or orders so I would assume this is just a rubber stamp exercise of putting it into law.

      They will continue with the same policy as before which is cut it off whenever they want and not attribute it to anyone.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Thats nothing. BT does it all the time in Scotland and describes it as "throttling" ..."due to limited interest in your region"

    But seriously, nothing says "stop protesting and love thy country" more than curfews, lockdowns and blackouts.Who says colonialism is dead.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Last time I was in India

    It was the leccy that would be shut down on a regular basis...

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    If they shut down the internet in India how will half our companies function?

    Joking aside that leads to another question, are they shutting down the internet or just the mobile networks?

  7. Ken Moorhouse Silver badge

    Harming the country's ability to maintain services contracts

    Surely countries around the world using Indian call centres will think again about the wisdom of putting their money there.

    Would it be possible for technology companies with the necessary clout to expand the infrastructure in ways that are protected from government interference?

    1. DavCrav

      Re: Harming the country's ability to maintain services contracts

      "Would it be possible for technology companies with the necessary clout to expand the infrastructure in ways that are protected from government interference?"

      How exactly do you protect it from this?

      "Employees of ISPs and mobile phone companies reported troops turning up at their homes and pointing guns at their families in order to enforce the shutdown."

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Re: Harming the country's ability to maintain services contracts

        How exactly do you protect it from this?

        By having the proper close relationships with the ex-politicians on your board which ensures you are a special case

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Harming the country's ability to maintain services contracts

        "How exactly do you protect it from this?"

        Satellite comms as back up - like war reporters do.

  8. Tim Seventh
    Devil

    IT outsourced to India

    This is going to be fun to watch during an emergency for "public safety". I'll ready the popcorn when it happens.

  9. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Gimp

    OMG India actually publishes the rules it will use to decide on a shut down.

    Can you imagine the UK Home Office being that transparent?

    Me neither.

    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: OMG India actually publishes the rules it will use to decide on a shut down.

      Fortunately in the case of an emergency the Home Office would issue orders to the post office to cut off the telegraph service and Ms. Rudd would order the confiscation of hashtags

  10. Dan 55 Silver badge
    Paris Hilton

    Cameroon took things one step further and cut off the country's southwest and northwest provinces

    I misread the first word and wondered what the West Country and Manchester had done to deserve that.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: cut off the country's southwest and northwest provinces

      Well, you know what they say about anything north of Watford...

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Crowd-powered possible?

    Is there any way a big group of people could provide an alternative internet?

    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: Crowd-powered possible?

      I'm not sure I want an army of Facebook members coming round to enact cat videos for me.

      I would add reg commentators providing porn - but that's not an image you want in your mind

  12. Cynic_999

    VOIP?

    AFAIAA many Indian support centres use VOIP rather than POTS (because it saves money). In which case shutting off the Internet will surely effectively prevent the customers of a huge number of UK firms from getting any support. Which just might cause UK companies to re-think and bring the call centres back to the UK.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: VOIP?

      I believe its only the "non-patriotic" provinces like Kashmir that are affected here. Also, to the member who called them transparent, one of the rules goes on about sedition. Go figure.

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