Freedom on the Net measures the subtle and not-so-subtle ways that governments and non-state actors around the world restrict our intrinsic rights online. Each country assessment includes a detailed narrative report and numerical score, based on methodology developed in consultation with international experts. This methodology  includes three categories:

  • Obstacles to Access details infrastructural and economic barriers to access, legal and ownership control over internet service providers , and independence of regulatory bodies;
  • Limits on Content analyzes legal regulations on content, technical filtering and blocking of websites, self-censorship, the vibrancy/diversity of online news media, and the use of digital tools for civic mobilization;
  • Violations of User Rights tackles surveillance, privacy, and repercussions for online speech and activities, such as imprisonment, extralegal harassment, or cyberattacks.

Freedom on the Net has expanded from covering 15 countries in its 2009 pilot edition to 65 in the latest report .

Tags: Online news Online media Digital rights Media freedom Censorship
Publication Date: 30/05/2016
Source: Freedom House
Dataset format: xml
Accessibility: free