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Rabat — Morocco has been classified as “partly free” with a score of 54 (+3) out of 100 in the latest “Freedom on the Net” report, published by the international NGO Freedom House. The annual report assesses the state of internet freedom across 72 countries, representing nearly 87% of the global online population.
The report divides countries into three categories: “free,” “partly free,” and “not free,” based on key metrics such as violations of user rights, content restrictions, and obstacles to access.
This year’s findings highlighted Kyrgyzstan as the country with the most significant decline in internet freedom, while China and Myanmar were identified as having the “worst global environments” for online freedom.
At the other end of the spectrum, Iceland maintained its ranking as the country with the most “free” online environment, and Zambia recorded the greatest improvement in its score. Despite these advances, the report marks 2024 as the 14th consecutive year of global decline in online freedom, with human rights protections in cyberspace weakening in 27 countries, while 18 saw improvements.
Freedom House also emphasized in its report that online freedom of expression faces increasing threats due to harsh prison sentences and rising violence.
In three-quarters of the countries studied, internet users have been arrested for peacefully expressing their opinions. Additionally, a record 43 countries reported incidents where individuals were targeted or even killed for their online activities.
The report further highlights that internet shutdowns and penalties for online speech have heightened risks, especially in countries affected by armed conflict. Pro-government commentators in at least 21 out of 41 countries studied were found to manipulate online information, raising concerns over future electoral fairness and eroding long-term trust in democratic institutions.
Government interference, along with a lack of transparency from major social media platforms, has also hindered the efforts of independent researchers and the media to expose election-related influence operations, further complicating efforts to protect the integrity of online spaces.
