Ukraine has the Most Free Internet in CIS

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• Publié par: worldwide-news-ukraine
• Nombre de lectures: 12
• Langue: English

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Ukraine has the Most Free Internet in CIS

PR Newswire KYIV, Ukraine, September 25, 2012

KYIV, Ukraine,September 25, 2012/PRNewswire/ -- Freedom House gave free internet freedom status to Ukraine,according to the organization's reportFreedom on the Net 2012. A Global Assessment of Internet and Digital Media. The research showed correlation between the presence of elected representatives,free civil society,and independent courts and freedom on the net. The survey included 47 countries,withUkraine receiving 27 points out of 100 (maximum points indicate the least free environment) - the best internet freedom result among the researched CIS countries. Full text of the report: http://www.freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/inline_images/FOTN%202012%20FINAL.pdf Freedom House report features a Eurasia region table withUkraineheading the list with its 27 points. The eastern European country is followed by fellow former Soviet socialist republic ofGeorgiawith 30 points (the country received free internet freedom status as well).Ukraine's27 points consist of 7 out of 25 in the Obstacles to Access category, 8 out of 35 in Limits on Content, and 12 out of 40 in Violations of User Rights. Comparably, the UK obtained 25 points: 1 point in Obstacles to Access, 8 points in Limits on Content, and 16 points in Violations of User Rights. According to the report,Ukraineboasts no instances of web 2.0 applications blocking, no notable political censorship, and no bloggers or ICT users arrested. "Ukrainehas relatively liberal legislation governing the internet and access to information", reads the report. Access to broadband internet inUkraineis fairly affordable, internet penetration inUkrainehas been growing steadily, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress, and LiveJournal are freely available. The government-induced challenges that Ukrainian internet users face include the so-called "trolls" (propagandist commentators) and complicated licensing procedures for operators. Attempts to induce legislative norms that might affect internet freedom "caused widespread concern from the Ukrainian media and international media rights groups"; whereas, "attempts to manipulate the online news landscape are not numerous", inform the authors. Notably, varied opinions representing the whole political spectrum inUkraineare available online and "access to international media websites is also unfettered". Russia'sinternet ranked partly free internet with 52 points,Turkeyreceived 46 points, andAzerbaijan- 50.Ukraine'snorth-western neighborBelarusreceived 69 points and the not free status of internet.