Six months ago, India’s government stripped Kashmir of all autonomy the region once possessed and enforced a communications blackout. It has since heralded the restoration of the internet, however, it is limited and very slow speed. The shift signifies a step in the right direction for Kashmiris. However, the region’s 7 mission residents only have access to government-approved websites and are blocked from platforms commonly used to spread information and communicate globally suck as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter.
While residents can access Youtube and Netflix, the internet service is so slow that video streaming or uploading isn’t a possibility. VPNs have since become employed globally to access blocked content and restricted websites, however, Indian authorities are examining ways to restrict those as well. What Kashmir is experiencing can be described as an internet shutdown despite the limited access and blanket censorship of the internet.
Read More: India keeps lid on Kashmir’s internet 6 months into lockdown
