Radio Free Asia (RFA) Chinese Edition recently reported that, according to U.S. democracy research organization Freedom House, China has been ranked as the least-free country on the Internet for ten consecutive years, and that the rating has declined year by year. Internet freedom globally has declined for 14 consecutive years as well. China’s rating score has been at the bottom for the 10th consecutive year, falling from 12 in 2015 to 9 in 2024.
The report stated that the Chinese government continues to isolate the domestic Internet from the rest of the world, to restrict international traffic to some government websites, to impose heavy fines on people who use VPNs to circumvent the firewall, and to systematically suppress dissent. Whether people share news reports or talk about religious beliefs, they will be strictly controlled. After a decade of technological progress, the Chinese government’s censorship and surveillance technology has become increasingly effective. In addition, Xi Jinping’s government has established a new bureaucracy to tighten control over the Internet.
Freedom House evaluates the degree of Internet freedom in 72 countries around the world. Internet users in these regions account for approximately 80 percent of the world’s online population. The 2024 report shows that Iceland sits at the top to the ranking list and Taiwan ranks 7th in the world with a score of 79, the best in Asia.
Source: RFA Chinese, October 16, 2024
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/lu-cyber-freedom-in-china-10162024095604.html