The UN has warned nations that continue to restrict access to the Internet of serious repercussions if they do not cease. UN rights officials have warned that terrible repercussions would follow if internet shutdowns or interruptions are repeatedly imposed. According to the research, millions of individuals might have their human rights violated as a result of Internet shutdowns.
The United Nations Human Rights Office has produced a paper detailing the negative effects that Internet outages can have on patients in medical facilities. When communications and internet are cut off, “hospitals cannot contact their doctors in cases of emergency, voters are deprived of information about candidates, handicraft makers are cut off from customers, and… peaceful protesters who fall under violent attack are unable to call for help,” it reads.
As UN human rights leader Michelle Bachelet pointed out in a statement, the shutdowns occur at a time when the internet is crucial to the advancement of numerous human rights. He then spoke on the material and human rights consequences of a prolonged internet blackout.
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To shut down the internet would be to deprive “thousands, if not millions, of people of their only means of reaching loved ones, continuing their work, or participating in political debates or choices,” which would have psychological and economic repercussions.
As the Internet has grown increasingly vital to the advancement of numerous human rights, the phenomenon of its shutdown has also evolved. As the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, stated, “switching off the Internet does immeasurable damage, both in material and human rights terms.”
When a government blocks access to the web, it hurts not just individuals but whole economies. When it comes to things like employment, education, health, and political engagement, the costs almost always outweigh the benefits, he said.
The office of the United Nations high commissioner for human rights wants immediate action taken against Internet shutdowns.
When it comes to internet outages, India is a world leader. Since 2012, a total of 550 internet shutdowns have been documented in India, according to the internetshutdowns. website, which is managed by the Software Freedom Law Centre (SFLC). Greater than half of these shutdowns have occurred in the current year.
