Global Internet freedom has declined for the 12th year in a row, with human rights in the online environment deteriorating in 28 countries and governments increasing repression in virtual spaces, watchdog organization Freedom House said Tuesday.
In its annual report, called “Freedom on the Net 2022: Countering an Authoritarian Review of the Internet,” the Washington-based nonprofit organization indicated that the sharpest declines were documented in Russia, Myanmar, Sudan and Libya, but China remains, for the eighth year in a row, the country with the world’s most repressive online environment.
“In at least 53 countries, users have faced legal repercussions for expressing themselves online, often leading to draconian prison sentences,” the organization lamented. The document results from an analysis conducted between June 2021 and May 2022 and analyzes Internet freedom in 70 countries, representing 89% of the world’s Internet users.
