Freedom on the Net

Freedom on the Net is an annual report providing analytical reports and numerical ratings regarding the state of Internet freedom for countries worldwide, published by the American non-profit research and advocacy group Freedom House.[1] The countries surveyed represent a sample with a broad range of geographical diversity and levels of economic development, as well as varying levels of political and media freedom.

Methodology

The surveys ask a set of questions designed to measure each country's level of Internet and digital media freedom, as well as the access and openness of other digital means of transmitting information, particularly mobile phones and text messaging services. Results are presented for three areas:[2] p.31

  • Obstacles to Access: infrastructural and economic barriers to access; governmental efforts to block specific applications or technologies; legal and ownership control over internet and mobile phone access providers.
  • Limits on Content: filtering and blocking of websites; other forms of censorship and self-censorship; manipulation of content; the diversity of online news media; and usage of digital media for social and political activism.
  • Violations of User Rights: legal protections and restrictions on online activity; surveillance and limits on privacy; and repercussions for online activity, such as legal prosecution, imprisonment, physical attacks, or other forms of harassment.

The results from the three areas are combined into a total score for a country (from 100 for "Most Free" to 0 for "Least Free") and countries are rated as "Free" (100 to 70), "Partly Free" (69 to 40), or "Not Free" (39 to 0) based on the totals.[2] p.31

Results

Starting in 2009 Freedom House has produced eleven editions of the report.[1][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] There was no report in 2010. The reports generally cover the period from June through May.

Freedom on the Net Survey Results
 2009[1]2011[3]2012[4]2013[5]2014[6]2015[7]2016[8]2017[9]2018[10] 2019[12] 2020[13]
Countries1537476065656565656565
Free  4 (27%)  8 (22%)14 (30%)17 (29%)19 (29%)18 (28%)17 (26%)16 (25%)15 (23%)15 (23%)15 (23%)
Partly free  7 (47%)18 (49%)20 (43%)29 (48%)31 (48%)28 (43%)28 (43%)28 (43%)30 (46%)29 (45%)28 (43%)
Not free  4 (27%)11 (30%)13 (28%)14 (23%)15 (23%)19 (29%)20 (31%)21 (32%)20 (31%)21 (32%)22 (34%)
Improvedn/a  5 (33%)11 (31%)12 (26%)12 (18%)15 (23%)34 (52%)32 (49%)19 (29%)n/a23 (35%)
Declinedn/a  9 (60%)17 (47%)28 (60%)36 (55%)32 (49%)14 (22%)13 (20%)26 (40%)n/a26 (40%)
No changen/a  1   (7%)  8 (22%)  7 (15%)17 (26%)18 (28%)17 (26%)20 (31%)20 (31%)n/a16 (25%)

2020 results
Freedom on the Net 2020[2]
  Free ·   Partly free ·   Not free
CountryScore
 Iceland95
 Estonia94
 Canada87
 Germany80
 United Kingdom78
 France77
 Australia76
 Georgia76
 Italy76
 United States76
 Armenia75
 Japan75
 Argentina71
 Hungary71
 South Africa70
 Kenya67
 Colombia66
 South Korea66
 Philippines64
 Tunisia64
 Brazil63
 Angola62
 Mexico61
 Ukraine61
 Malawi60
 Nigeria60
 Zambia59
 Malaysia58
 Ecuador57
 Kyrgyzstan56
 Uganda56
 Singapore54
 Lebanon52
 Morocco52
 Sri Lanka52
 India51
 Libya50
 Indonesia49
 Jordan49
 The Gambia49
 Zimbabwe46
 Cambodia43
 Bangladesh42
 Rwanda39
 Azerbaijan38
 Belarus38
 Thailand35
 Turkey35
 Kazakhstan32
 Myanmar31
 Russia30
 Sudan30
 Bahrain29
 Ethiopia29
 United Arab Emirates29
 Venezuela28
 Uzbekistan27
 Egypt26
 Pakistan26
 Saudi Arabia26
 Cuba22
 Vietnam22
 Syria17
 Iran15
 China10

References
  1. Freedom on the Net 2009, Freedom House, accessed 16 April 2012
  2. "Freedom on the Net 2020" (PDF). Freedom House.
  3. Freedom on the Net 2011, Freedom House, accessed 15 April 2012
  4. Freedom on the Net 2012, Freedom House, accessed 24 September 2012
  5. Freedom on the Net 2013, Freedom House, 3 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  6. "Freedom on the Net 2014" (PDF). Freedom House. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  7. "Freedom on the Net 2015" (PDF). Freedom House. October 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  8. "Freedom on the Net 2016" (PDF). Freedom House. October 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  9. "Freedom on the Net 2017" (PDF). Freedom House. October 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  10. "Freedom on the Net 2018" (PDF). Freedom House. November 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  11. "Freedom on the Net 2019" (PDF). Freedom House. November 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  12. "Freedom on the Net 2019" (PDF). Freedom House.
  13. "Freedom on the Net 2020" (PDF). Freedom House.
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