Internet users in a record number of countries have been arrested and physically assaulted for their reports last year, according to a report showing a bleak picture of online freedom of speech in 2021.
The annual Freedom of the Web report, released on Tuesday, said Internet disconnection in Myanmar and Belarus was a major failure: Internet rights were declining worldwide for the 11th year in a row.
“This year, users have also faced physical attacks in response to their online messages in 41 countries,” the report said. The study began 11 years ago.
The report also states that consumers have been arrested or convicted for their online activities in 56 of the 70 countries covered by the report. This is a record 80%.