Overview: A Declining Trend in Global Internet Freedom
The latest edition of Freedom on the Net 2025 paints a sobering picture: internet freedom around the world has declined for the 15th consecutive year. Among the 72 countries assessed, conditions deteriorated in 28, while 17 showed gains. The trend signals growing challenges for digital rights, online expression, and access to information in an increasingly interconnected world.
Key Findings: What the Numbers Tell Us
Several threads emerge from the report. First, the persistent decline underscores a shift in how governments regulate online spaces, with greater use of surveillance, content control, and strategic disinformation campaigns. Second, the gains in some countries suggest that reform is possible even in restrictive environments, often driven by civil society pressure, judicial oversight, or technological innovation that preserves user rights. The balance between security concerns and civil liberties remains delicate, and the margin for error is shrinking for many digital ecosystems.
Regional Variations
Regional patterns reveal a mosaic of progress and setbacks. In some regions, tighter state oversight correlates with higher barriers to access, API-level throttling, and blocking of independent media. In contrast, a handful of countries have rolled back certain restrictions or expanded freedoms online, demonstrating that policy choices can yield tangible improvements in user rights and information flow.
Kenya: A Case Study in Volatility
Kenya is highlighted as experiencing one of the most notable declines in internet freedom. While the nation has been a regional hub for technology and entrepreneurship, the report documents how policy shifts, legal actions, or enforcement practices can disrupt online expression and access to information. Kenya’s experience underscores a broader truth: even countries with a vibrant startup scene and active digital communities are not immune to crackdowns, legal vagueness, or government-led blockages that threaten user rights and innovation.
Why These Trends Matter
Internet freedom is not a niche concern. It affects economic development, education, public health, and democratic participation. When online spaces are narrowed, people lose access to diverse sources, independent journalism, and civic discourse. Businesses face uncertainty over data flows, compliance costs, and customer trust. For marginalized communities, the impact can be acute, widening gaps in information and opportunity.
What Drives the Decline—and What Can Turn It Around
The report points to a mix of drivers: national security justifications for surveillance, opaque censorship regimes, digital policing, and the weaponization of online platforms to spread misinformation. Conversely, gains often come from a combination of legal safeguards for free expression, independent judiciary oversight, transparent regulatory frameworks, and grassroots digital rights coalitions that push for accountable governance.
Policy Implications
Policymakers should consider a calibrated approach that protects public safety without infringing on fundamental rights. Key steps include:
– Strengthening digital rights protections in law and practice.
– Ensuring transparent, evidence-based content moderation that preserves freedom of expression.
– Expanding access to information through open data, affordable connectivity, and support for independent media.
– Building robust oversight mechanisms for surveillance and data collection with clear sunset clauses and auditing.
– Encouraging regional and international cooperation to uphold universal standards for internet freedom while respecting local contexts.
What Individuals and Communities Can Do
Beyond policy, individual and community action remains vital. Journalists, developers, educators, and civil society organizations can advocate for privacy protections, promote digital literacy, and create tools that protect anonymity and secure communications. In volatile environments, resilient infrastructure—like encrypted messaging, open-source platforms, and community networks—can help preserve access to information and civic space.
Looking Ahead: A Critical Moment for the Global Internet
The 2025 findings serve as a wake-up call. A truly open and resilient internet requires ongoing advocacy, smart policy design, and a commitment to civil liberties as the default standard. While declines persist in many places, the instances of gains demonstrate that progress is possible with deliberate action and sustained international attention.
