Freedom House report highlights severe restrictions on internet freedom in Pakistan and worldwide.
Amid a worldwide trend of declining internet freedom, Pakistan has been classified as “not free” by the Freedom on the Net 2024 report, published by Freedom House, a U.S.-based organization that monitors democracy and human rights across the globe. The report marks the 14th consecutive year of shrinking internet freedom worldwide, with Pakistan now joining 21 other nations, including China, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran, in the “not free” category.
The report evaluates internet freedom in 72 countries using a 100-point scale, based on an established methodology to assess how governments control and restrict the digital space. Pakistan earned a score of 27 out of 100, signaling severe curbs on internet access, online expression, and user safety. Meanwhile, India, with a score of 50, was classified as “partly free,” alongside 31 other nations, while 19 countries were ranked “free.”
Key Indicators of Internet Freedom Decline
Pakistan’s “not free” status reflects findings across eight key indicators used to gauge restrictions. The country met seven of the eight criteria:
- Intentional disruptions to internet connectivity
- Blocking of social media platforms
- Restricting access to websites with political, social, or religious content
- Arrests or imprisonment of individuals for online activities
- Physical attacks or killings of users due to their online expressions
- Government use of pro-regime commentators to manipulate online discourse
- New laws or directives enforcing censorship or increasing punishments for online activities
The only criterion that Pakistan did not meet was the passage of a new law or directive specifically increasing surveillance or restricting online anonymity.
Deteriorating Online Human Rights Worldwide
The 2024 Freedom House report highlights a global erosion of online human rights, with protections diminishing in 27 out of the 72 assessed countries. In contrast, 18 nations showed some improvement. Alarmingly, in 56 countries, internet users faced arrest for expressing political, social, or religious views online. Furthermore, in 43 countries, people were targeted with physical violence or even killed due to their online activities.
The report estimates that over 5 billion people have internet access, yet 79% reside in countries where individuals are at risk of arrest or imprisonment for their online content.
China and Myanmar: The World’s Worst Internet Freedom Environments
For the first time in a decade, China, long regarded as having the world’s worst internet freedom environment, shares that designation with Myanmar. The latter’s military regime has implemented a stringent censorship system, significantly escalating restrictions on internet use.
Elections and Digital Manipulation
The report also underscores the strategic use of internet controls by governments during election periods. Of the 41 countries that conducted or prepared for national elections during the study period, 25 resorted to restricting digital freedoms. The most prevalent methods included blocking websites, limiting access to social media platforms, or, less frequently, shutting down internet connectivity entirely.
Freedom on the Net 2024 paints a concerning picture of the state of digital rights and underscores the rising global challenge of balancing security concerns with protecting free expression online.
