Internet Censorship by Country 2023

Where is Internet censorship the most extreme?

The internet’s basic goal is to facilitate the unrestricted flow of information between individuals. Sadly, not all countries appear to share this view, and some practice heavy internet control.

For instance, China is well-known for its stringent censorship of the internet. Internet censors in China seem to be present at all times, monitoring user activity. Additionally, the Chinese government’s internet censors may swiftly delete offending material from the web.

India, Iran, and North Korea are just a few examples of other nations with severe internet control. The governments of these nations view any kind of political opposition with great suspicion.

How Is Internet Censorship Classified?

Internet restrictions may be categorized in many different ways. Pervasive censorship describes the most extreme kind of Internet restriction. This implies that a sizable fraction of all websites across a broad range of topics is inaccessible from inside the nation.

Substantial censorship is the next rung down the censorship ladder. This implies that a wide variety of categories are filtered, with just a small subset of websites in each block.

Selective censoring is a kind of Internet control less severe than other methods. This either suggests that the websites are being restricted arbitrarily or that the nation does not intend to keep them blocked for very long.

Additionally, there are situations when internet censorship may be assumed but not verified. A nation may be classed as having suspected internet censorship even if there is no proof for internet restriction, but if there seem to be peculiar patterns.

What Are the Types of Internet Censorship?

Different forms of Internet restriction exist. Political censorship is by far the most prevalent kind of online restriction. This happens when a nation censors news that could make its administration seem bad. One or both parties are worried about being voted out of office.

Social censorship is another kind of Internet restriction. This occurs when governments attempt to regulate citizens’ interpersonal interactions. Some nations, for instance, restrict access to pornographic material. Many nations restrict access to certain video game genres.

Also See: Semiconductor Manufacturing by Country 2022

How Do People Get Around Internet Censors?

Internet users have a few methods at their disposal for evading monitoring systems. The most frequent method of evading internet monitoring is using a virtual private network (VPN) or proxy server.

This program helps users conceal their online identity by masking the origin of their network traffic. In this method, users can bypass restrictions placed on their Internet access, such as China’s Great Firewall.

Technology in this area is rapidly improving, and formerly unreliable tools are now considered trustworthy.