Internet Freedom Around The World
A global look at online freedoms in 2023
Having the freedom to use the internet is a luxury many of us might take for granted, with entire generations growing up in a fully connected world. It’s easy to presume that people in other countries can access the internet in exactly the same way as we might, with all the same websites and information at our fingertips. However, this is not the case.
Our access to the internet can be restricted in several ways. The most common one, which many of us may be more familiar with, is region-blocked content on streaming sites, where only people from certain countries have access to specific shows due to licensing agreements between the streamer and the show’s owner. While annoying for many users, these restrictions don’t have a broader impact on
our day-to-day lives, and many viewers use a VPN or residential proxy to change their IP address and circumvent the regional blocks.
Unfortunately, internet access also has more severe restrictions than missing out on your favorite sitcom. Many countries’ governments censor parts of the internet to limit the information and tools available to their residents, with banning social media sites being a prime example.
With this in mind, we wanted to find out which countries have the most and least internet freedom in 2023. To do this, we’ve looked at a range of factors in 70 different countries to provide a comprehensive, global snapshot of internet freedom worldwide.
Belarus has the least internet freedom in the developed world
1
Belarus
Internet freedom score
The country with the lowest Internet Freedom Score is Belarus, earning a score of just 1.77 out of 10. The country scored poorly for most factors other than people using the internet, with 84% of the population having internet access.
However, social media use in Belarus is restricted, and political media is highly censored, meaning the authoritarian government can control the flow of information and artificially influence public opinion.
2
Kazakhstan
Internet freedom score
Kazakhstan has the second lowest Internet Freedom Score in our study at 1.88. Despite having a considerable 85% of its population able to access the internet, the country scores poorly across all other factors. Online censorship in the country is high, with a score of seven, and the use of social media is also restricted, while Kazakhstan also scores below 50 on the National Cyber Security Index.
2
Mauritius
Internet freedom score
Mauritius also finished in second place, tying with Kazakhstan with a score of 1.88. Mauritius has considerably less online censorship than Kazakhstan, with a score of three for the factor, although social media is still restricted in the country. However, this small island nation has a much lower rate of online access, with only 71% of the population using the internet, while its score on the National Cyber Security Index is one of the lowest in our study at 44.16.
The countries with the least internet freedom
|
Rank |
Country |
Population |
Internet Users |
Internet Users (%) |
Online Censorship Score |
Social Media Restrictions |
National Cyber Security Index |
Internet Freedom Score (/10) |
|---|
Estonia is the country with the most internet freedom, as Europe dominates the rankings
1
Estonia
Internet freedom score
Estonia has the best Internet Freedom Score, with 9.60 out of 10. This small European country in the Baltics has topped our table with impressive scores across the board.
Online censorship in the country is the lowest in our study, tied with several other countries, with a score of 1. The only censorship noted here is that torrents are restricted, but even then, they are not banned outright. Estonia has a very high level of internet access at 98% and one of the highest scores on the National Cyber Security Index at 93.51.
2
Lithuania
Internet freedom score
In second place is another Baltic country, Lithuania, which scored an impressive 9.12 overall, scoring very well across the board with solid results in each category.
Like Estonia, Lithuania earned a score of 1 for online censorship, with only the use of torrents being restricted, and the countries even tied with the same National Cyber Security Index score of 93.51. However, the two countries differ slightly in terms of people using the internet, which is somewhat lower in Lithuania at 95%.
3
United Kingdom
Internet freedom score
In third place is the United Kingdom, which earned an overall Internet Freedom Score of 8.53. The proportion of internet users in the UK is slightly higher than second-place Lithuania at 96%, but its performance in the remaining categories prevents it from finishing higher.
The United Kingdom scored 2 out of 11 for online censorship due to torrents being banned in the country, while its performance on the National Cyber Security Index was slightly lower at 89.61.
The countries with the most and least internet restrictions
|
Rank |
Country |
Population |
Internet Users |
Internet Users (%) |
Online Censorship Score |
Social Media Restrictions |
National Cyber Security Index |
Internet Freedom Score (/10) |
|---|
18 countries from around the world tied for the lowest level of online censorship
No country in our study scored a perfect zero for having no restrictions on what you can do or see online, but as many as 12 scored 1 out of a potential 11. For each of these countries, the only online censorship in effect is restrictions placed on torrents, though none ban them outright.
Over two-thirds of these countries are located in Europe, such as Croatia, Slovakia, and Switzerland, showing the region to be a hotspot for internet freedom and low censorship. Other countries outside Europe that tied for this low score include New Zealand, Chile, Costa Rica, Uruguay, and Trinidad and Tobago.
United Arab Emirates has the highest level of online censorship
1
United Arab Emirates
online censorship score
The United Arab Emirates has our study's highest online censorship score, at 9 out of 11. While the country is quickly modernizing with widespread technological leaps and development, the UAE is also a very traditional country with a strong religious component and an autocratic government. This explains the high level of online censorship seen here.
2
Belarus, Oman, Qatar, Thailand & Turkey
online censorship score
Five countries in our study ranked second with an online censorship score of 8, including Belarus, Oman, Qatar, Thailand, and Turkey. These countries have severe restrictions on online political and social media as well as bans on adult material.
Additionally, Thailand has a ban for torrents, and Belarus has banned VPNs, while Oman, Qatar, and Turkey all have restrictions on torrents and VPNs, as well as messaging and VoIP apps.
|
Rank |
Country |
Social Media Restrictions |
Online Censorship Score |
|---|
Gulf states show strong internet use, with the UAE topping the list
1
United Arab Emirates
internet users
The United Arab Emirates had the highest level of internet users in the country at 129%. This figure is over 100% due to the high level of visitors the country receives, both for business and pleasure, all of which demand reliable access to the internet.
The UAE has developed rapidly in the past few decades to become a leading business hub and center for technological innovation, so providing widespread access to the internet is highly important for the country's new direction.
2
Bahrain
internet users
Bahrain is another Arab country with a very high level of internet users at 122%. Again, this figure is over 100% because of an incredibly high level of business visitors and tourists who have flocked to Bahrain in recent years.
The country has a relatively small population of fewer than 1.5 million, so this influx of foreign nationals will significantly impact the results. However, like the UAE, Bahrain has seen rapid economic development, with digital growth being a particular focus for the nation, and digital avenues like e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and fintech require comprehensive internet coverage and access.
3
Qatar
internet users
Qatar is the country with the third-highest level of internet users in our study, at 119%. This means that the top three countries for internet users are all Gulf states, and all have rates over 100%, showing that foreign influence is driving the widening access to the internet in the region.
Qatar has also seen rapid growth in recent years and is home to some of the most technologically advanced cities on the planet while also one of the safest, with a very low crime rate. Qatar joins the other Gulf states in dominating the top 10 countries for internet users, making up 50% with the addition of Oman in fifth place and Kuwait in seventh.
|
Rank |
Country |
Population |
Internet Users |
Internet Users (%) |
|---|
South Africa has the lowest level of internet use in our study
1
South Africa
internet users
Our study's lowest level of internet users was seen in South Africa, with a rate of just 58%. While South Africa is highly developed in many areas, vast levels of inequality exist in the country, mainly due to its history of apartheid, the effects of which can still be felt today.
The highly disparate economic outcomes and quality of life for different groups within the country have resulted in a level of internet access much lower than most countries in our study.
2
India
internet users
India has the second-lowest level of internet users in our study, at 59%. While one of the largest economies in the world, India is another example of a country with substantial wealth inequalities. This, combined with differing levels of infrastructure and development across such a vast country, means that many people do not have access to the internet.
3
Mauritius/Bulgaria
internet users
Tied for third place are Mauritius and Bulgaria, with 71% of each country’s population connected to the internet. Bulgaria is among the poorer countries in Europe, which has led to the slow development of infrastructure and a more moderate adoption of digital technologies. Conversely, Mauritius is one of the wealthiest African countries, and its proportion of internet users is higher than average for the region, highlighting the severe regional differences in access to the web.
|
Rank |
Country |
Population |
Internet Users |
Internet Users (%) |
|---|
Liechtenstein has the least secure internet
1
Lichtenstein
national cyber security index
Liechtenstein has the lowest National Cyber Security score of 31.17. While this score is very low, it’s important to remember that Liechtenstein is a micro-state without the same resources and digital infrastructure larger nations can draw on. Despite this low score, Liechtenstein scored well for protecting personal data and fighting against cybercrime.
2
Trinidad and Tobago
national cyber security index
Trinidad and Tobago has the second-lowest National Cyber Security score of 33.77. This, combined with the country’s relatively low internet users, prevented Trinidad and Tobago from achieving a higher overall Internet Freedom Score.
3
Kuwait & Montenegro
national cyber security index
Kuwait and Montenegro are tied for third place with a National Cyber Security Index score of 35.06. This low score has held both countries back from scoring much higher overall, as Kuwait had one of the highest rates of internet users, while Montenegro was tied for the lowest online censorship.
|
Rank |
Country |
National Cyber Security Index |
|---|
Belgium has the highest level of cyber security in our study
1
Belgium
national cyber security index
Belgium has the highest National Cyber Security Index score, 94.81. Belgium finished in 11th place in our study, with a score of 8.08, but was let down by scoring just slightly lower for its censorship, with a ban in place on torrents.
2
Estonia & Lithuania
national cyber security index
Estonia and Lithuania ranked second, scoring 93.51 on the National Cyber Security Index. As the top two countries in our own ranking, they also tied for first place for online censorship and have high levels of internet users.
Our top three countries for cyber security are all European nations, which still holds true when expanded to the top 10 countries, suggesting that Europe is a hotbed for cyber security and protection for internet users.
|
Rank |
Country |
National Cyber Security Index |
|---|
Methodology
We wanted to determine which countries give their residents the most freedom to use the internet how they wish and safely. We first built a list of countries to focus on to do this. These included all countries in the OECD, G20, and European Union and any countries that scored 0.800 or higher on the United Nations’ Human Development Index. This totalled 69 countries, with the exception of Russia and China.
First, we collected the percentage of internet users compared to the total population in each country from World Population Review . We also collected online censorship scores from Comparitech and whether social media had been banned. Finally, we collected each country's National Cyber Security Index score and combined all four factors into a single, equally weighted score.
