Privatizing Censorship, Eroding Privacy: Freedom on the Net 2015
Internet freedom around the world declined for the fifth consecutive year in 2015 as more governments censored information of public interest while also expanding surveillance and cracking down on privacy tools, according to Freedom on the Net 2015, released today by Freedom House.
“Governments are increasingly pressuring individuals and the private sector to take down or delete offending content, as opposed to relying on blocking and filtering,” said Sanja Kelly, project director for Freedom on the Net. “They know that average users have become more technologically savvy and are often able to circumvent state-imposed blocks.”
At the same time, encryption and anonymity tools crucial to securing freedom of expression were subject to restrictions worldwide.
“Undermining online encryption and anonymity weakens the internet for everyone, but especially for human rights activists and independent journalists,” Kelly said. “Privacy tools can help protect internet users from the kinds of abuse we document.”
[Download report from Freedom House website]i
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