On Wednesday, the government of Jammu and Kashmir, the region between India and Pakistan, allowed internet access, including social media, for the first time in seven months.
More than seven million Kashmiris were thrust into a digital black hole on Aug. 5, 2019, after India's government revoked an article of the country's constitution that guaranteed the region a degree of autonomy and shut down the internet.
The government justified its actions by saying that the shutdown was to prevent militancy and stop the spread of misinformation, but locals in the region told BuzzFeed News that the reason for the cutting off access was to prevent dissent and open rebellion.
The shutdown, the longest ever in the world, destroyed Kashmir's economy and threw normal life out of whack. It was criticized by lawmakers and human rights advocates around the world.
Kashmiris who are finally able to use Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter say it feels "unreal."
My first tweet from #Kashmir outside of govt set media centre & without using a VPN. Have nothing exceptional to say except that tweeting so comfortably from home feels unreal. Also, is anyone else in #Kashmir finding it unnerving/weird to get continuous updates on whatsapp?