A new report released on October 17, 2024, paints a troubling picture of internet freedom around the globe, revealing that one country’s digital landscape has now reached the same level of restriction as China. According to the report by Freedom House, a leading organization that tracks global democracy and human rights, internet censorship in this country has reached a point where access to information is severely limited, online surveillance is widespread, and dissent is ruthlessly suppressed.
The nation, which has been gradually eroding digital freedoms over the last decade, now employs sophisticated technology to monitor and control its citizens’ online activities. Much like China, the government has implemented a “Great Firewall” that blocks access to international websites, censors social media platforms, and manipulates search engine results. Journalists, bloggers, and activists who attempt to circumvent these controls are often arrested, harassed, or forced into exile.
Freedom House’s report attributes the rapid decline in internet freedom to new laws that grant the government sweeping powers to shut down internet access during protests, monitor encrypted communications, and arrest individuals for merely liking or sharing certain content online. The report warns that the trend of internet repression is growing, with more governments adopting similar tactics to quell dissent and maintain control.
As global internet freedom continues to decline, experts are urging international organisations to take a stand against digital authoritarianism and promote a free and open internet for all.
