Countries which limit internet access

There are also examples where governments wishing to shut down the net have an easier task. Dawit Bekele, Africa regional bureau director for the Internet Society, points to Ethiopia where he says "there is a de-facto single gateway owned by the government operator that can easily be used to block the internet.

Unless access to the internet has been shut down completely, there are ways that individuals can manage to evade these barriers. The most common method is the use of virtual private networks VPNs. These encrypt data paths, making it difficult for service providers to block access to restricted sites. Governments can also block VPNs, although they are less inclined to do so because this can severely inconvenience foreign diplomats and large companies which use them because they provide extra security.

Some African governments have pointed to the rise of "fake news" online as a reason for enforcing restrictions. But some analysts and opposition figures consider this an excuse for suppressing groups critical of the government, which often organise on Facebook and WhatsApp. Get in touch. Read more from Reality Check. Image source, Getty Images. Cases of countries restricting internet access have been rising. How does blocking work? Image source, AFP. Tunisian Internet service providers must report to the government the IP addresses and personal information of all bloggers.

All traffic goes through a central network. The government filters all content uploaded and monitors e-mails. The Communist Party requires Yahoo, Google and Microsoft to divulge data on all bloggers who use their platforms. It blocks websites critical of the government, as well as those that advocate for democracy, human rights and religious freedom. The only Internet service provider is the government. Based on the Freedom on the Net report by Freedom House, these are the 15 countries with the least internet freedom, followed by the 15 with the most.

Receive full access to our market insights, commentary, newsletters, breaking news alerts, and more. I agree to TheMaven's Terms and Policy. In October the government used a anti-cybercrime law to charge at least seven Saudis in connection with their use of Twitter to allegedly criticize the authorities and to call for women to be allowed to drive.

Protesters calling for greater democracy and justice gather in Addis Ababa in May after security forces shot at students. Ethiopian authorities are cracking down on the press ahead of elections in Filing lawsuits against editors and forcing publishers to cease production have left only a handful of independent publications in a country of more than 90 million people.

There are no independent broadcasters, though broadcasts from the U. The state-controlled telecommunications company Ethio Telecom is the sole Internet provider and routinely suspends critical news websites. International journalists work in Ethiopia, but many are under surveillance and face harassment.

Although journalists have not had difficulties acquiring accreditation in the past, newer arrivals say that they face challenges. Lowlight : Authorities in unleashed the largest onslaught against the press since a crackdown in after disputed parliamentary elections. Ten independent journalists and bloggers were arrested on anti-state charges, and at least eight independent publications were shut down. Award-winning investigative reporter Khadija Ismayilova is one of at least 10 independent journalists and bloggers arrested during a crackdown by Azerbaijani authorities in Azerbaijan Leadership : President Ilham Aliyev has been in power since October , after being named successor by his father.

How censorship works : The main sources of information in Azerbaijan are broadcasters, which are owned and controlled by the state or its proxies. International broadcasters are barred or their satellite signals are jammed. Critical print outlets have been subjected to harassment from officials, including debilitating lawsuits, evictions, a ban on foreign funding, and advisories to businesses against advertising.

Online speech is subject to self-censorship because of a criminal defamation law that carries a six-month prison sentence. News and social media websites are blocked arbitrarily. At least 10 journalists and bloggers, including the award-winning reporter Khadija Ismayilova , are in Azerbaijani jails. Several critical journalists fled the country in , and those remaining faced attacks and harassment, were banned from traveling, or were prosecuted on fabricated charges.

Several other international non-governmental organizations that supported the local media were also forced to cease work in Azerbaijan after authorities accused them of tax evasion, raided their offices, and froze bank accounts.

Staff at these organizations and their families faced harassment from officials. A Vietnamese blogger works on his iPad in Hanoi. Bloggers in Vietnam who write posts about sensitive issues face harassment from authorities, arbitrary detentions, and hefty prison terms.

Independent bloggers who report on sensitive issues have faced persecution through street-level attacks, arbitrary arrests, surveillance, and harsh prison sentences for anti-state charges.