Internet freedom is an umbrella term that encompasses digital rights, freedom of information, the right to Internet access, freedom from Internet censorship, and net neutrality.[1][2][3]
Those who support internet freedom as a human right include the United Nations Human Rights Council, who declared internet freedom a Human Right in 2012.[4][5] Eric Sterner agrees with the end goals of internet freedom but thinks that focusing on democracy and other freedoms is the best strategy.[6]
J. Goldsmith notes the discrepancies in fundamental rights around free speech that exist between Europe and the United States, for example, and how that impacts internet freedom.[7] In addition, the proliferation in certain kinds of speech that spreads false information and weakens trust in the accuracy of content online remains a topic of concern around internet freedom in all countries.
Some countries work to ban certain sites and or words that limit internet freedom.[8] The People's Republic of China (PRC) has the world's largest number of Internet users and one of the most sophisticated and aggressive Internet censorship and control regimes in the world.[9] In 2020 Freedom House ranked China last of 64 nations in internet freedom.[10]