The State of Internet Freedom Around the World

Clearly, the internet has provided us a great channel to exchange information and distribute it across the globe. It has become an important medium through which we can express our thoughts and ideas and share them with others. The democracy and human rights activists use this essential platform to bring reform in the political, social, and economic conditions of any country.

Recognizing the power of the new technologies, the big powers of the World and high authorities have invented some specific and non-specific ways to filter, monitor, and block the openness of the internet.

The State of Internet Freedom Around the World

The more disappointing thing is that a number of democratic states have also implemented various restrictions just to avoid political, social and economic issues raised through social media.

Recognizing the power of the new technologies, the big powers of the World and high authorities have invented some specific and non-specific ways to filter, monitor, and block the openness of the internet

According to a report, in 18 countries, Governments have increased the state of observation in June 2017. At least 15 countries are considering new “data protection” laws, to easily access social media users’ data.

Moreover, in some countries, access to social media was temporarily or permanently blocked and users were unable to use any messaging platform.

During 2018, most Governments used claims of fake news and of data breaches and other scandals as an excuse to move closer or to adopt a strict model of Internet censorship. In the same time period, almost 17 governments proposed new laws that restrict online media in the name of coping up the issue of fake news. Other than that eighteen countries have increased the efforts of surveillance.

During 2018, most Governments used claims of fake news, data breaches and other scandals as an excuse to move closer or to adopt the Chinese model of Internet censorship

China is at the fore front among the countries that have taken up extensive measures to curtail digital freedom. It is working to explore its model of censorship and surveillance in order to control information both inside and outside the country.

According to the director for Internet Freedom at Freedom House, Sanja Kelly, “China is exporting its model of digital authoritarianism throughout the world, constituting a significant threat to the future of the free and open Internet,” Since 2017, the representative of 36 countries have visited China for training programs on censorship and surveillance.

In the same time period, 18 countries have acquired monitoring technology or facial recognition systems from Chinese companies. The high authorities of Egypt and Iran also rewrote restrictive media laws in order to apply to the users of social media. Their government jailed the citizens under measures designed to fight false news. Furthermore, they also blocked foreign social media and communication services.

In order to defend people’s freedom of expression on all sorts of topics over the internet, it is necessary that anti-democratic forces should be discouraged to take hold of the internet by all means.

China is at the fore front among the countries that have taken up extensive measures to curtail digital freedom

In the era where the world has become a global village, access to accurate information without being manipulated is a fundamental right of every citizen. And all social channels and online media have responsibly to make sure that they serve the public in the right way. If the media is hijacked by authorities, people will lose their voices on matters which shape their lives.

Recently, in the name of peace and harmony, India blocked the internet services in the Kashmir. The Indian government took this step just to suppress the potential protests. But that affected the entire economy as internet blockage restricted all the online activities and no one was able to do any kind of online trading.

Sri Lanka has also used “fake news” as an excuse to cut off the internet in its boundaries.

For a modern and free society, internet freedom is very important.

In the era where the world has become a global village, access to accurate information without being manipulated is a fundamental right of every citizen

We all have the right to information, to freedom of opinion and expression,without internet freedom, it is not possible. It plays an important role in learning and has changed the ways of study at schools.

Free internet facilitates students in their research works. The internet has become a new teacher with advance knowledge. Students learn a lot from Google and other search engines without the help of a human teacher. Those students who are unable to attend the schools because of any physical barrier, the internet is the only significant tool that provides knowledge about everything.

For robust growth in the economy, we can’t ignore the importance of the internet

Teachers can also use the internet as a modern tool for educating their students and adopt more modern ways to build the interest of the students.

The Indian government blocked the internet services in Kashmir just to suppress the potential protests

The internet is working on socializing and organizing the flow of people and ideas.

The privacy should not be violated in the name of security, therefore; proper laws should be formulated without intervening in the privacy rights of the people

No doubt that the disinformation is a crucial issue and a real problem, but cutting off access to the internet is not the right solution. The privacy should not be violated in the name of security, therefore; proper laws should be formulated without intervening in the privacy rights of the people.

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