Iran’s ‘Digital Toll’ Threat Sparks Fears Over WhatsApp and UPI Disruptions

New Delhi: Amidst the increasing tension in the Middle East, new concerns have emerged regarding the Internet. According to reports, media networks associated with Iran and platforms associated with the IRGC i.e. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have talked about controlling the undersea internet cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz and collecting “digital tolls”. These are the same undersea cables through which most of the world's Internet traffic passes. If there is any major disruption in this sector, then WhatsApp, UPI, cloud services, banking and even social media can be affected.

What is Iran's 'digital toll' plan?

Media outlets linked to Iran have claimed that money can be earned from undersea internet cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz. It is being described as a “digital toll booth” model, where fees can be collected from foreign tech companies and network operators. Reports said that trillions of dollars worth of digital data is transferred every day through these cables.

Why are these undersea internet cables important?

About 95 to 99 percent of the world's Internet data traffic passes through fiber optic cables laid under the sea. Many important cables connecting Asia, Europe and the Middle East pass through the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding sea routes. If these cables are damaged or their speed and access are affected, Internet services may be slowed or disrupted in many countries.

Can India also be affected?

India's digital services are directly connected to the global internet network. In such a situation, if there is a major crisis on the internet cables of the Hormuz region, international data traffic may be affected. This is expected to affect UPI payments, cloud servers, video calling, social media and online business services. However, experts say that the possibility of complete shutdown of the Internet network is less, because alternative routes for data also exist.

Can Iran really block the internet?

Technical experts believe that it is not easy for any one country to shut down the entire world's internet. But disruptions in vital digital routes like the Strait of Hormuz can definitely cause massive slowdowns, latency and network problems. According to report, the cables are currently safe, but there remains an indirect threat due to war and maritime activities.

Why is the world's concern increasing?

The Strait of Hormuz is already considered the most important sea route for oil and gas supply. Now the increasing discussion about internet cables has made it a “digital choke point”. Amidst the ongoing tension in West Asia, the world fears that if this crisis increases, it may affect not only the oil market but the entire digital economy.