Rabat – In its latest report on Freedom on the Net, the US based NGO Freedom House has assessed that internet use in Morocco is “partly free.”
Although Morocco scored one point less than last year’s ranking, it is still among the “partly free” countries, with 54 points out of 100.
The report indicated that Morocco scored 14/25 for internet access obstacles, 16/40 on users’ rights violations, and 24/35 for limits on content.
Freedom on the Net assesses 65 countries, covering 87% of the world’s internet users worldwide, and tracks developments in internet freedom each year.
Morocco lands in the same category as Tunisia, Libya, Nigeria, Jordan, Lebanon and the Ukraine, while the report classified Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain as “non-free” countries.
Read also: Morocco Ranks Lower in Freedom House Civil Liberties Index
Globally, Iceland tops the ranking as an entirely free state in terms of internet users’ freedom, scoring 95 points. The report stated that no civil or criminal advocacy against Internet users was recorded in Iceland, and that the country has strong protection of users’ rights, and no restrictions on content.
Estonia came second in the ranking with 94 points scored. Canada appeared third on the list with 87 points, followed by Germany (80 points), Australia (77 points), France (76), Georgia (75), Japan (73 points), South Africa (72 points), and Kenya (68 points).
China ranked at the bottom as a “not free” country, with a score of only 10 out of 100. It shares the category of the worst country in the world for online freedom, with Iran (15 points), Syria (17 points), Cuba (22 points), Vietnam (24 points), Egypt (26 points), Ethiopia (28 points), Bahrain (29 points), Venezuela (30 points), and Russia (31 points).
In assessing online freedoms, the NGO relies on a research package based on democracy and international human rights laws.
