“Internet freedom in the world decreased for the fourteenth consecutive year”

• The report highlighted website blocking since the opposition primary election in Venezuela in 2023 with the aim of reducing access to independent news | Photo: Pixabay

The American non-governmental organization (NGO) Freedom House published its report Freedom on the Internet 2024, The fight for trust in the Internet, in which he revealed that for the fourteenth consecutive year, Internet freedom decreased worldwide.

The study, published on October 16, mentions that in at least 27 of the 71 countries surveyed by Freedom on the Net (FOTN) protection of online rights decreased, while in 18 there were improvements.

Among the countries studied, China and Myanmar share the world’s worst environment for Internet freedom. In Myanmar, the military regime imposed a new censorship system in which it increased restrictions on virtual private networks (VPNs).

Regarding Venezuela, the organization highlighted the blocking of digital platforms since the opposition primary election in October 2023, including the cases of Signal, the social network X and other media and organization websites.

“(It was) part of his (Nicolás Maduro government’s) campaign to quell mass protests, isolate opposition leaders from their supporters and reduce access to independent news about election results and repression.” offline of the State,” reads the document.

Freedom of expression threatened by prison and violence

The report also highlighted that in three quarters of the countries evaluated by FOTN, Internet users faced arrests by security forces for expressing themselves in a “non-violent manner.” He specified that there were cases in which the victims suffered sentences that exceeded 10 years in prison.

“People were physically attacked or killed in retaliation for their online activities in a record number of at least 43 countries. “Internet blockages and retaliation for online freedom of expression created even more dangerous environments for people affected by several major armed conflicts around the world,” the study highlights.

Photo: EFE

The organization highlighted the case of a Thai pro-democracy activist who was sentenced to 25 years in prison in March 2024, after making 18 publications on X related to the monarchy. The lese majeste law was applied to the user.

In Cuba, a woman was sentenced to 15 years in prison for sedition and “enemy propaganda” after sharing images of protests on her social networks.

The NGO also detailed acts of violence against people who were physically attacked or killed in 43 countries as retaliation for their online activities. Among the victims are press workers, activists and bloggers.

Photo: Pixabay

Blocking digital platforms

In addition to the cases in Venezuela, FONT mentioned that authorities around the world limited access to Internet spaces that people used to consume news and connect with loved ones.

In this sense, he specified that in at least 41 countries, access to websites that housed information with political, social or religious connotations was blocked. While in at least 25 countries, governments restricted access to social networks such as TikTok and X.

Photo: EFE

Likewise, the NGO highlighted that the right of people to seek, receive and disseminate information, as well as to give their opinions and express themselves online, has been violated in the electoral contexts of several countries around the world.

Faced with these situations, the American organization argued that “the preservation of modern democracy” is linked to the creation of a safe and reliable digital environment. For this reason, he considered regulations that promote transparency in content moderation and access to data for investigations to be essential, in addition to the support of civil society to strengthen Internet freedom, mainly in electoral events.

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