A detailed report was released recently with some fascinating insights into the relative freedoms of internet usage and access globally.
According to the report, the number of people with access to the internet has more than doubled in the past five years to over two billion. The internet in the past decade has steadily expanded as a means of spreading information and challenging government-imposed media controls.
Most governments have taken steps with soaring use of the internet to establish mechanisms to block what they deem as undesirable information. In many cases this targets illegal gambling, child pornography, copyright infringement or incitement of hate or violence.
However – a surprisingly large number of governments are engaging in deliberate efforts to block access to political, social issue and human rights information. Of the 37 countries analysed, 15 governments engaged in substantial blocking of politically relevant content (including two electoral democracies – Turkey and Sth Korea).
Since a similar report in 2009, nine of the 15 countries assessed then have fared worse in 2011 including Iran, Tunisia and China. In a cat-and-mouse style adaption to this, citizens in some of these countries are becoming increasingly adept at side-stepping the threats to their internet freedoms. One prime example of this has been the use of social media to galvanise political opposition across the Arab world in recent months.
A number of governments have responded by regulation and repression according to the report and in some instances Governments tightly control the resource nationally. It wasn’t always like this – in the 1990s when the internet emerged, very few restrictions were placed on online communication or content. Even China (which has the most sophisticated internet control globally at present) exerted neglible control.
However by the late 1990s dissidents used the internet to spread information with Chinese and international audiences and the Government responded with a massive and multi-layered surveillance and censorship apparatus. Similar dynamics are now being increasingly seen in several other nations.
The spread and intensification of internet controls that have had decline in freedom conformed to one of three patterns: politically motivated internet controls (i.e. before or during elections), acceleration and institutionalisation of internet control (i.e. notable exertion in Pakistan and Thailand) and strengthening of the existing internet-control apparatus (In China loopholes were closed, and popular protests in Bahrain, Tunisia and Iran were met with intensified censorship and user arrests.
New restrictions are partly a response to the explosion of popularity of applications like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter which enable ordinary users to easily post their own content, share information and in some instances connect with large audiences (even internationally).
Since 2009 these tools have not only served as a form of entertainment, but increasingly have played a massive role in enabling political and social activism (e.g. organising rallies in Egypt reporting human rights violations to the outside world in Bahrain and Cuba).
Oppressive governments have taken notice. In 12 oppressive nations, there have been consistent or temporary bans on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and similar services. The five countries most at risk from oppression are listed as Thailand, Russia, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, and Jordan.
David Burns is Marketing and Comms Manager for Origin IT ‘The World’s Best IT Support | Vikram861@gmail.com
According to the report, the number of people with access to the internet has more than doubled in the past five years to over two billion. The internet in the past decade has steadily expanded as a means of spreading information and challenging government-imposed media controls.
Most governments have taken steps with soaring use of the internet to establish mechanisms to block what they deem as undesirable information. In many cases this targets illegal gambling, child pornography, copyright infringement or incitement of hate or violence.
However – a surprisingly large number of governments are engaging in deliberate efforts to block access to political, social issue and human rights information. Of the 37 countries analysed, 15 governments engaged in substantial blocking of politically relevant content (including two electoral democracies – Turkey and Sth Korea).
Since a similar report in 2009, nine of the 15 countries assessed then have fared worse in 2011 including Iran, Tunisia and China. In a cat-and-mouse style adaption to this, citizens in some of these countries are becoming increasingly adept at side-stepping the threats to their internet freedoms. One prime example of this has been the use of social media to galvanise political opposition across the Arab world in recent months.
A number of governments have responded by regulation and repression according to the report and in some instances Governments tightly control the resource nationally. It wasn’t always like this – in the 1990s when the internet emerged, very few restrictions were placed on online communication or content. Even China (which has the most sophisticated internet control globally at present) exerted neglible control.
However by the late 1990s dissidents used the internet to spread information with Chinese and international audiences and the Government responded with a massive and multi-layered surveillance and censorship apparatus. Similar dynamics are now being increasingly seen in several other nations.
The spread and intensification of internet controls that have had decline in freedom conformed to one of three patterns: politically motivated internet controls (i.e. before or during elections), acceleration and institutionalisation of internet control (i.e. notable exertion in Pakistan and Thailand) and strengthening of the existing internet-control apparatus (In China loopholes were closed, and popular protests in Bahrain, Tunisia and Iran were met with intensified censorship and user arrests.
New restrictions are partly a response to the explosion of popularity of applications like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter which enable ordinary users to easily post their own content, share information and in some instances connect with large audiences (even internationally).
Since 2009 these tools have not only served as a form of entertainment, but increasingly have played a massive role in enabling political and social activism (e.g. organising rallies in Egypt reporting human rights violations to the outside world in Bahrain and Cuba).
Oppressive governments have taken notice. In 12 oppressive nations, there have been consistent or temporary bans on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and similar services. The five countries most at risk from oppression are listed as Thailand, Russia, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, and Jordan.
David Burns is Marketing and Comms Manager for Origin IT ‘The World’s Best IT Support | Vikram861@gmail.com
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