A report from Freedom House released on Wednesday revealed that global internet freedom has declined for the 14th consecutive year. The report cites an increase in government censorship and election meddling as primary reasons behind this.
The Freedom on the Net 2024 report, which assesses internet freedom in 72 countries, found that people were attacked or killed for their online speech or activism in at least 43 countries. Internet shutdowns and arrests of users for their political or religious expression were also common, especially during elections. Internet disruptions were observed in Pakistan during election rallies and internet blackouts took place in Bangladesh during mass protests earlier this year. Various similar instances took place globally in the past year.
According to the report, Myanmar and China were the worst offenders regarding internet freedom. Myanmar’s military-led government intensified its crackdown on online dissent following the coup in 2021 and China continued its trend of global internet isolation and extreme content censorship. Kyrgyzstan experienced the biggest drop in score, driven in part by recent attempts of authorities to shut down a prominent investigative media outlet. In contrast, Zambia saw the most significant improvement, attributed to the opening of online activism space.
The rise in repressive surveillance and censorship laws under the guise of combating cybercrime like the recently proposed UN cybercrime treaty poses potential threats to online freedom. Along with this, the increase in usage of generative AI for the creation of fake information and content manipulation especially during elections has become a major issue, according to the report.
The report outlined several key recommendations to combat these threats. Governments should be urged to stop shutting down the internet during elections and maintain open access to online platforms. Tech companies need to increase transparency in their content moderation practices and resist pressures to enforce arbitrary censorship. Additionally, the report emphasizes the need for independent oversight to monitor the spread of disinformation, particularly during critical moments like elections. Allie Funk, Freedom House’s research director for technology and democracy, emphasized that “a free and open internet is indispensable for a well-functioning democracy in the 21st century.”
The Freedom on the Net report is published annually by Freedom House, an independent watchdog organization. It assesses the state of internet freedom in 72 countries, representing 89 per cent of the world’s internet users. The report evaluates factors such as access to information, restrictions on content and violations of user rights to assign each country a score to determine its level of internet freedom.
