20 Countries On Information ‘Black-List’
20 Countries On Information ‘Black-List’
July 31st, 2007: While Australians might find cause to complain about Internet speeds, spare a thought for some of the World’s poorest countries facing not only over-the-top connection prices, but also limited access, availability and online information censorship.
A report by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe attempts to identify nationalistic restraints placed on online information access as a form of censorship. Exploring the freedom of information online, the report puts 20 countries in an information black-list, notably mentioning China, Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
While taking an in-depth look at Georgie and Kazakhstan to highlight the means and consequences of Web censorship, the report labelled ‘Governing the Internet’ raises concerns over the increasing rate of Internet policing across the globe. The 20 nations black-listed were found to use contradictory rules for limiting the free-flow of information online, which are ‘easily triggering Soviet-style ‘spy mania.’”
“Recent moves against free speech on the Internet in a number of countries have provided a bitter reminder of the ease with which some regimes, democracies and dictatorships alike, seek to suppress speech that they disapprove or, dislike, or simply fear,” states the preface of the report.
“Speaking out has never been easier than on the Web,” the report continues. “Yet at the same time we are witnessing the spread of Internet censorship.”
Kazakhstan was ousted as an example of poor connection rates hindering democratic processes. Despite a 4 percent growth in the percentage of the population currently using the Internet, the OSCE finds ICT developments in Kazakhstan to be slowing down, primarily due to connection costs.
On average, the report finds customers would be paying around 30 euros a month just for basic email exchanges without attachments, as well as the occasional web browsing. With no file download, no online chatting, definitely no video conferencing and an average monthly salary of 292 euros, it’s a big ask for the average Kazakhstan citizen to pay.
For unlimited ADSL, the OSCE finds a Kazakhstan resident would pay around 100 times more than the average based Western European. However even the information actually available is limited. With all websites in Kazakhstan considered ‘mass media,’ the local Media law is applicable to any Website, be it news, blogs gaming or personal pages. Subject to the Criminal and Civil Codes, users publishing online can face a criminal trial due to the information posted. Legislation is preventing the free flow of information, while a tradition of content filtering by local ISPs is leaving authorities with a list of impendent websites marked as ‘destructive.’