Should dirty content be seen as protected free expression or as something that should be avoided for obscenity and public health?
Regarding morality, we all have our own personal views, yet in certain nations, pornography has been declared immoral and criminal.
Countries such as Canada and the United States have minimal to no censorship due to free speech laws and judges’ interpretations of such laws. Unlike the United States, several nations have censored or banned content on the internet.
Accordingly, nations with stricter censorship laws also tend to have lower levels of total freedom.

Internet censorship legislation in the most restrictive countries
No other government in the world imposes as strict a censorship regime as does North Korea. Everything, including news sources, media outlets, and social media, is subject to government censorship when it enters, leaves, or travels inside the nation.
No erotic content is permitted here. If you’re using a virtual private network (VPN) to view erotic content because you believe you can sneak past the authorities, you’re doing it wrong. The authorities also censor VPNs.
Chinese censorship levels are the second strictest in the world. VPNs and the Great Firewall of China, also known as the Golden Shield Project, block access to adult content in the West.
Occasionally, a few websites or virtual private networks (VPNs) can get through the firewall, but these are quickly shut down.
This type of content is not accessible in Iran since it is censored on all media, including Facebook. Several other Muslim-majority nations, such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkmenistan, follow a similar strategy to maintain their Islamic beliefs and traditions.
However, VPNs may be used to circumvent government restrictions in certain nations.
Many websites, including some but not all erotic ones, are blocked in Russia. Viewing that content is not against the law in Russia, but creating it is. In Russia, VPNs are also inaccessible.
These websites are similarly subject to censorship and access restrictions in numerous African and Asian nations (as well as the communist island nation of Cuba, off the coast of Florida).
In 2019, Thailand, for instance, banned internet pornography. Erotic content is illegal in both the UK and Australia, which may shock some readers. Citizens of these countries may use a VPN.
However, governments think that restricting this is important to protect children online and when they are in danger of being trafficked.
Is it time to ban, regulate, or outlaw explicit images and videos?
Some argue that pornographic websites, such as those run by the government should be censored. Unlike other real addictions like drug or alcohol dependence, most medical organizations have yet to classify pornography addiction.
But research shows that widespread access to erotic content may harm a person’s mental health, a couple’s marriage, and the economy in general (in lost work hours and, in extreme cases, therapy).
When this type of graphic material is created, it may also exploit those who engage in it, most of whom are women and some of whom are children.
Recommended: Countries Where Polygamy Is Legal 2022
Governments are reluctant to control or criminalize pornography that does not contain unlawful crimes like bestiality or statutory rape for fear of violating free expression.
Country | Pornography Banned | Pornography Restricted | VPNs Banned | VPNs Restricted | 2022 Population |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | true | true | false | false | 40754.3880 |
Albania | false | false | false | false | 2866.3740 |
Algeria | false | true | false | false | 45350.1480 |
Andorra | false | false | false | false | 77.4630 |
Angola | false | false | false | false | 35027.3430 |
Argentina | false | false | false | false | 46010.2340 |
Armenia | true | true | false | false | 2971.9660 |
Australia | false | true | false | false | 26068.7920 |
Austria | false | false | false | false | 9066.7100 |
Azerbaijan | false | true | false | false | 10300.2050 |
Bahrain | true | true | false | true | 1783.9830 |
Bangladesh | true | true | false | false | 167885.6890 |
Belarus | true | true | true | true | 9432.8000 |
Belgium | false | false | false | false | 11668.2780 |
Belize | false | false | false | false | 412.1900 |
Benin | false | false | false | false | 12784.7260 |
Bhutan | false | true | false | false | 787.9410 |
Bolivia | false | false | false | false | 11992.6560 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | false | false | false | false | 3249.3170 |
Botswana | false | false | false | false | 2441.1620 |
Brazil | false | false | false | false | 215353.5930 |
Brunei | true | true | false | false | 445.4310 |
Bulgaria | false | false | false | false | 6844.5970 |
Burkina Faso | false | false | false | false | 22102.8380 |
Burundi | false | false | false | false | 12624.8400 |
Cambodia | true | true | false | false | 17168.6390 |
Cameroon | false | false | false | false | 27911.5480 |
Canada | false | false | false | false | 38388.4190 |
Cape Verde | false | false | false | false | 567.6780 |
Central African Republic | false | false | false | false | 5016.6780 |
Chad | false | false | false | false | 17413.5800 |
Chile | false | false | false | false | 19250.1950 |
China | true | true | true | true | 1448471.4000 |
Colombia | false | false | false | false | 51512.7620 |
Comoros | false | false | false | false | 907.4190 |
Costa Rica | false | false | false | false | 5182.3540 |
Croatia | false | false | false | false | 4059.2860 |
Cuba | false | true | false | true | 11305.6520 |
Cyprus | false | false | false | false | 1223.3870 |
Czech Republic | false | false | false | false | 10736.7840 |
Denmark | false | false | false | false | 5834.9500 |
Djibouti | false | false | false | false | 1016.0970 |
Ecuador | false | false | false | false | 18113.3610 |
Egypt | false | true | false | true | 106156.6920 |
El Salvador | false | false | false | false | 6550.3890 |
Equatorial Guinea | true | true | false | false | 1496.6620 |
Eritrea | true | true | false | false | 3662.2440 |
Estonia | false | false | false | false | 1321.9100 |
Eswatini | false | false | false | false | 1184.8170 |
Ethiopia | false | true | false | false | 120812.6980 |
Fiji | false | false | false | false | 909.4660 |
Finland | false | false | false | false | 5554.9600 |
France | false | false | false | false | 65584.5180 |
Gabon | false | false | false | false | 2331.5330 |
Gambia | false | false | false | false | 2558.4820 |
Georgia | false | false | false | false | 3968.7380 |
Germany | false | false | false | false | 83883.5960 |
Greece | false | false | false | false | 10316.6370 |
Guatemala | false | false | false | false | 18584.0390 |
Guinea | false | false | false | false | 13865.6910 |
Guinea-Bissau | false | false | false | false | 2063.3670 |
Guyana | false | false | false | false | 794.0450 |
Honduras | false | false | false | false | 10221.2470 |
Hong Kong | false | false | false | false | 7604.2990 |
Hungary | false | false | false | false | 9606.2590 |
Iceland | false | false | false | false | 345.3930 |
India | false | true | false | false | 1406631.7760 |
Indonesia | true | true | false | false | 279134.5050 |
Iran | true | true | true | true | 86022.8370 |
Iraq | false | false | true | true | 42164.9650 |
Ireland | false | false | false | false | 5020.1990 |
Israel | false | false | false | false | 8922.8920 |
Italy | false | false | false | false | 60262.7700 |
Japan | false | true | false | false | 125584.8380 |
Jordan | false | false | false | false | 10300.8690 |
Kazakhstan | false | true | false | true | 19205.0430 |
Kenya | false | false | false | false | 56215.2210 |
Kuwait | true | true | false | false | 4380.3260 |
Kyrgyzstan | false | true | false | false | 6728.2710 |
Laos | true | true | false | false | 7481.0230 |
Latvia | false | false | false | false | 1848.8370 |
Lebanon | false | true | false | false | 6684.8490 |
Lesotho | false | false | false | false | 2175.6990 |
Liberia | false | false | false | false | 5305.1170 |
Libya | false | true | false | false | 7040.7450 |
Liechtenstein | false | false | false | false | 38.3870 |
Lithuania | false | false | false | false | 2661.7080 |
Luxembourg | false | false | false | false | 642.3710 |
Madagascar | false | false | false | false | 29178.0770 |
Malawi | false | false | false | false | 20180.8390 |
Malaysia | true | true | false | false | 33181.0720 |
Maldives | true | true | false | false | 540.9850 |
Mali | false | false | false | false | 21473.7640 |
Malta | false | false | false | false | 444.0330 |
Mauritania | false | false | false | false | 4901.9810 |
Mauritius | false | false | false | false | 1274.7270 |
Mexico | false | false | false | false | 131562.7720 |
Moldova | false | false | false | false | 4013.1710 |
Mongolia | false | false | false | false | 3378.0780 |
Montenegro | false | false | false | false | 627.9500 |
Morocco | false | true | false | false | 37772.7560 |
Mozambique | false | false | false | false | 33089.4610 |
Namibia | false | false | false | false | 2633.8740 |
Nepal | true | true | false | false | 30225.5820 |
Netherlands | false | false | false | false | 17211.4470 |
New Zealand | false | false | false | false | 4898.2030 |
Nicaragua | false | false | false | false | 6779.1000 |
Niger | false | false | false | false | 26083.6600 |
Nigeria | false | false | false | false | 216746.9340 |
North Korea | true | true | true | true | 25990.6790 |
Norway | false | false | false | false | 5511.3700 |
Oman | true | true | false | true | 5323.9930 |
Pakistan | true | true | false | false | 229488.9940 |
Palestine | false | true | false | false | 5345.5410 |
Panama | false | false | false | false | 4446.9640 |
Papua New Guinea | false | true | false | false | 9292.1690 |
Paraguay | false | false | false | false | 7305.8430 |
Peru | false | false | false | false | 33684.2080 |
Philippines | false | true | false | false | 112508.9940 |
Poland | false | false | false | false | 37739.7850 |
Portugal | false | false | false | false | 10140.5700 |
Qatar | true | true | false | true | 2979.9150 |
Romania | false | false | false | false | 19031.3350 |
Russia | false | true | false | true | 145805.9470 |
Rwanda | false | true | false | false | 13600.4640 |
Samoa | false | false | false | false | 202.2390 |
Saudi Arabia | true | true | false | true | 35844.9090 |
Senegal | false | false | false | false | 17653.6710 |
Serbia | false | false | false | false | 8653.0160 |
Seychelles | false | false | false | false | 99.4260 |
Sierra Leone | false | false | false | false | 8306.4360 |
Singapore | false | true | false | false | 5943.5460 |
Slovakia | false | false | false | false | 5460.1930 |
Slovenia | false | false | false | false | 2078.0340 |
Somalia | false | false | false | false | 16841.7950 |
South Africa | false | true | false | false | 60756.1350 |
South Korea | true | true | false | false | 51329.8990 |
South Sudan | false | false | false | false | 11618.5110 |
Spain | false | false | false | false | 46719.1420 |
Sri Lanka | false | true | false | false | 21575.8420 |
Sudan | false | false | false | false | 45992.0200 |
Suriname | false | false | false | false | 596.8310 |
Sweden | false | false | false | false | 10218.9710 |
Switzerland | false | false | false | false | 8773.6370 |
Syria | true | true | false | true | 19364.8090 |
Taiwan | false | false | false | false | 23888.5950 |
Tajikistan | false | false | false | true | 9957.4640 |
Tanzania | true | true | false | false | 63298.5500 |
Thailand | true | true | false | true | 70078.2030 |
Timor-Leste | false | false | false | false | 1369.4290 |
Togo | false | false | false | false | 8680.8370 |
Tonga | false | false | false | false | 107.7490 |
Trinidad and Tobago | false | false | false | false | 1406.5850 |
Tunisia | false | true | false | false | 12046.6560 |
Turkey | true | true | false | true | 85561.9760 |
Turkmenistan | true | true | false | true | 6201.9430 |
Uganda | true | true | false | false | 48432.8630 |
Ukraine | false | true | false | false | 43192.1220 |
United Arab Emirates | true | true | false | true | 10081.7850 |
United Kingdom | false | false | false | false | 68497.9070 |
United States | false | false | false | false | 334805.2690 |
Uruguay | false | false | false | false | 3496.0160 |
Uzbekistan | true | true | false | false | 34382.0840 |
Venezuela | false | true | false | false | 29266.9910 |
Vietnam | true | true | false | false | 98953.5410 |
Yemen | true | true | false | false | 31154.8670 |
Zambia | false | true | false | false | 19470.2340 |
Zimbabwe | false | true | false | false | 15331.4280 |
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