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Freedom House New Report - Internet Freedom in Georgia Still "Partly Free"

April 21, 2011
media.ge

Georgia is among the countries with the status "partly free" in view of Internet freedom, according to the Freedom on the Net 2011:  A Global Assessment of Internet and Digital Media, published April 18.

Georgia received 35 points in the 100-point assessment of Internet freedom including:
In the assessment of Obstacles to Access Georgia received 12 points, Limits of Content: 10 points and Violation of User Rights:  13 points.

Freedom on the Net 2011, which identifies key trends in internet freedom in 37 countries, follows a pilot edition that was released in 2009. (According to the pilot research Georgia was among the "partly free" Internet freedom status countries also with 43 points improving its positions by 8 points).   Freedom on the Net evaluates each country based on barriers to access, limitations on content, and violations of users' rights.

As it is said in the report, these encroachments on internet freedom come at a time of explosive growth in the number of internet users worldwide, which has doubled over the past five years. Governments are responding to the increased influence of the new medium by seeking to control online activity, restricting the free flow of information, and otherwise infringing on the rights of users.

The study found that Estonia had the greatest degree of internet freedom among the countries examined, while the United States ranked second. Iran received the lowest score in the analysis. Eleven other countries received a ranking of Not Free, including Belarus, Burma, China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand. A total of 9 of the 15 countries in the original pilot study registered declines over the past two years. Conditions in at least half of the newly added countries similarly indicated a negative trajectory. Crackdowns on bloggers, increased censorship, and targeted cyberattacks often coincided with broader political turmoil, including controversial elections.

Countries at Risk: As part of its analysis, Freedom House identified a number of important countries that are seen as particularly vulnerable to deterioration in the coming 12 months: Jordan, Russia, Thailand, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.

Cyberattacks, politically motivated censorship, and government control over internet infrastructure are among the diverse and growing threats to internet freedom is claimed in the study.

"These detailed findings clearly show that internet freedom cannot be taken for granted," said David J. Kramer, executive director of Freedom House. "Nondemocratic regimes are devoting more attention and resources to censorship and other forms of interference with online expression."

"The ability to communicate political views, organize, debate, and have access to critical information is as important online as it is in the offline world," said Sanja Kelly, managing editor of the report. "A more urgent response is needed to protect bloggers and other internet users from the sorts of restrictions that repressive governments have already imposed on traditional media," Kelly added.

Freedom House also outlines the key trends limiting the Internet freedom globally:

* Explosion in social-media use met with censorship: In response to the growing popularity of internet-based applications like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, many governments have started targeting the new platforms as part of their censorship strategies. In 12 of the 37 countries examined, the authorities consistently or temporarily imposed total bans on these services or their equivalents.

* Bloggers and ordinary users face arrest: Bloggers, online journalists, and human rights activists, as well as ordinary people, increasingly face arrest and imprisonment for their online writings. In 23 of the 37 countries, including several democratic states, at least one blogger or internet user was detained because of online communications.

* Cyberattacks against regime critics intensifying: Governments and their sympathizers are increasingly using technical attacks to disrupt activists' online networks, eavesdrop on their communications, and cripple their websites. Such attacks were reported in at least 12 of the 37 countries covered.

* Politically motivated censorship and content manipulation growing: A total of 15 of the 37 countries examined were found to engage in substantial online blocking of politically relevant content. In these countries, website blocks are not sporadic, but rather the result of an apparent national policy to restrict users' access to information, including the websites of independent news outlets and human rights groups.

* Governments exploit centralized internet infrastructure to limit access: Centralized government control over a country's connection to international internet traffic poses a significant threat to free online expression, particularly at times of political turmoil. In 12 of the 37 countries examined, the authorities used their control over infrastructure to limit widespread access to politically and socially controversial content, and in extreme cases, cut off access to the internet entirely.

In relation to Georgia Freedom House states that Government censorship is not a major hindrance to internet freedom in Georgia. Users can freely visit any website around the world, upload or download any content, and contact other users via forums, social-networking sites, and applications like instant messaging. In fact, content is so accessible that numerous sites offer illegal material such as pirated software, music, and movies, and the government has not enacted appropriate legal measures to combat the problem.

There were no reports of government censorship during the coverage period and users were able to freely visit any website around the world, including advanced web applications. This was in contrast to the period in August 2008, during a brief military conflict with Russia, when the government blocked access to all Russian addresses (those using the .ru country code), including the popular blogging service LiveJournal. The filtering was eased within days and did not resurface. This change contributed to Georgia's score improvement, along with the absence of large-scale cyberattacks by Russian hackers that also featured in the 2008 conflict.

There is no law that specifically regulates internet censorship or bans inappropriate content, such as pornography or violent material. The Law of Georgia on the Protection of Minors from Harmful Influence addresses gambling and violence, but it does not refer to online activities.

Freedom House also reports that use of the internet and related technologies continues to grow rapidly in Georgia, as does the availability of better connections and services. Social-networking sites, particularly Facebook, have gained in popularity in recent years, reportedly eclipsing news sites and general web portals.  A number of bloggers and journalists use it to share or promote their content, gaining readers and starting discussions on current events. However, one recent event prompted some concern among internet activists. In April 2010, the administrator of the Facebook group "Against Nanukas Show," which was critical of the hostess of the Nanukas television talk show, alleged that he was threatened by unidentified state employees and forced to make the group inactive.  Freedom House new study shows that there have been 10 cases of limitation of content, while in 2009 report there have been 15 cases like this.

Inadequate revenues in the online news business, combined with a lack of technological knowledge, has hampered the expansion of traditional media outlets to the internet, along with the fact that many journalists working in traditional media lack knowledge about internet technology and web tools.  In addition, some media owners reported instances in which advertisers decided to withdraw ads from websites after those outlets published news articles overly critical of the government or the ruling party.

According to Freedom House there are about 100 bloggers writing in the Georgian language who try to remain active and current. However, at this point the blogosphere is still very weak. Minorities are not restricted from internet use, but they are represented online through only a small number of forums and blogs.

Freedom House also speaks about the civil rights including the right to access information and freedom of expression are guaranteed by the Georgian constitution, and they are generally respected in practice. Article 20 of the constitution and Article 8 of the Law of Georgia on Electronic Communications include privacy guarantees for users and their information, but they simultaneously allow privacy rights to be restricted by the courts or other legislation.  The Law on Freedom of Speech and Expression "makes it clear that other 'generally accepted rights' related to freedom of expression are also protected even if they are not specifically mentioned."

Georgian legislation grants police and security services significant discretion in conducting surveillance. Police can generally begin surveillance without a court's approval, though they must obtain it within 24 hours. There are some official requirements for launching such monitoring, but in reality it is sufficient to label the targeted individual a suspect or assert that he may have criminal connections. New amendments to the Law on the Operative-Investigative Activity, promulgated in September 2010, require that websites, mail servers, internet service providers, and other relevant companies make available private
communications such as emails and chats to law enforcement authorities, provided that a court approval is obtained.  Additionally, ISPs are obliged to deliver statistical data-separated by user-about site visits, traffic, and other topics. Mobile-phone companies are required to provide similar data when asked by the government.

According to Freedom House the number of internet and mobile-telephone users is growing, but high prices for services and inadequate infrastructure remain obstacles to access, particularly for those in rural areas or with low incomes. According to the International Telecommunication Union, Georgia had 1.3 million internet users in 2009, which constitutes a 30.5 percent penetration rate.  The average cost for an internet connection is US$25 a month. The lowest price for a 1 Mbps broadband connection is about US$10.   Cybercafes provide internet access for reasonable fees, but they are located mainly in large cities and there are too few to meet the needs of the population. Most cafes have less than a dozen computers, and customers often have to wait as long as an hour for access.

http://www.media.ge/en/content/freedom_house_new_report 


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