Top 10 Countries that Censor the Web

This is a list of countries that censor the Web drastically. It is a list that I compiled on my own using research and facts. For those who think this article is similar to all others, they should read the article from the end to the beginning. Number 10 is meant to shock you. As such here is the list of top 10 to 1 countries that censor the web.

1. North Korea:

If you asked a North Korean what internet was, they probably would not be able to tell you. Approximately 1% of the population uses the intranet (no no mistakes). All free emails are blocked. Anyone who uses the intranet is allowed to only use a state run email service. It was listed on Reporters without Border’s list of Enemies of the Internet.

2. Iran:

Anything western or anti-Islamic is not allowed in this country. Internet connections are sometimes slowed down to prevent the people from getting outside and non-Islamic material off the web. This serves as an oxymoron to the building cyborg population in the country. The government monitors and jails those who try to utilize western proxies to access censored material.

3. Burma:

Burma is a country in Southeast Asia, where approximately 1% of the population uses the internet. This statistics comes with the growing costs of obtaining internet. The Junta owns the one and only internet service provider. He even jails anyone who tries to listen to and/or read Western media such as BBC and other media which go against the Junta. Like North Korea, Burma does not allow its citizens to use free email services. Only government based emails are allowed.

4. China:

China has cracked down on internet usage in its country with the Great Firewall of China. It censors most of the content through keywords. Anything that is pro-Tibetan and pro-Tiananmen is blocked. Many media outlets such as BBC, Twitter, Facebook and Google+ are blocked in China as well. All internet cafes are being monitored closely and are closed down if any fishy business is being run. According to BBC, 1.3 million websites were closed down in 2010.

5. Turkmenistan:

This country is second to North Korea when it comes to human rights abuses. In 2007, the country opened up 2 internet cafes in its capital. No news source agencies and human rights websites are allowed to be viewed in the country. There is 1 internet service provider and that is owned by the repressive government. Within the last two years, there have been talks to bring in wider media. The media, however, can only display successful stories.

6. Syria:

There was no Facebook, Wikipedia and Youtube in Syria for many years. Bans on many social media websites such as Facebook and Youtube were lifted in 2010. The Syrian government filters all web content and monitors internet activity. Thisis  especially the case with media which are pro-Israel and pro-West. Anyone who exercises their freedom of speech is jailed.

7. Vietnam:

This country is listed on the top 10 enemies of the internet by Reporters without Borders. The country tries to screen websites for sex and obscenity which are not in tune with its political and religious beliefs. It tries to mirror its technology to that of China but does not have the funds.

8. Uzbekistan:

If you oppose the Uzbek government and live in Uzbekistan you may end up like the President’s nephew, Djamshid Karimov, in a padded cell. Everything which includes anti-government sentiments are blocked from the internet in Uzbekistan. Freedom of speech is also blocked, as one can see in the example of Djamshid Karimov. One should, however, note that the internet is a booming technology in Uzbekistan. No sarcasm!

9. United Arab Emirates:

Internet and telephone are owned by a crown corporation called Etisalat. Everything against the country beliefs are blocked and censored by Etisalat. The worst part is that more than half the population agree with this policy. Mostly the topics being censored relate to pornography and anti-government sentiments. The reason behind the censorship is that the websites are not in tune with the cultural, moral, political and religious beliefs of the country.

10. Australia:

Surprisingly this Country/Continent is censoring websites. In 2007 a bill was passed to allow the government to censor access to any website. Police were hired to mainly block phishing and terrorist websites. These websites also contain Refused Classification (RC) categories such as child pornography, bestiality, sexual violence, euthanasia and other “phishing and terrorist” themes.