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To fully explore this experience, use a desktop device.

Understanding the Visualizations

In the Internet Freedom introduction, a black bar obstructs text based on each country’s overall freedom score, with lower scores reflecting more of the text covered. This stark visual reflects the frustration and disorientation faced by individuals under systemic information control, turning "blocked access" into a tangible experience.

In Obstacles to Access, fragmented text illustrates unreliable web access, with more characters hidden as scores decrease. The randomness of visible characters mimics the chaotic, unpredictable web experiences faced daily in restricted regions.

Limits on Content introduces a blur effect based on freedom scores. As scores fall, the content becomes progressively more blurred—still visible, but frustratingly out of reach, symbolizing the struggle to access restricted information.

In Violation of User Rights, cursor trails represent the intensity of surveillance in each country. A lower score results in more intrusive trails, evoking the sense of constant monitoring and persistent digital footprints.

Dive into this interactive experience by selecting a country to view its score and visual effects. Toggle the effects on or off, switch countries for comparisons, and explore each nation's internet freedom ranking.

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Internet Freedom

Internet freedom is the right for everyone to access, share, and create information online without unnecessary restrictions or interference. It's the freedom to express opinions, seek knowledge, and connect with others — fundamental to democracy in the digital age. Yet, internet freedom often operates as an invisible privilege, one we rarely question until it's threatened.

Imagine opening your browser and finding that certain news sites are blocked, your social media posts are flagged or deleted for unclear reasons, or your private messages are being monitored without your consent. This isn't just a hypothetical scenario — it's happening today. Around the world, governments impose censorship to silence opposition, corporations manipulate algorithms for profit over truth, and surveillance programs covertly collect personal data, shaping what it means to be "free" online.

Every year, Freedom House publishes an annual report measuring internet freedom. The latest 2024 report assessed 72 countries, which represent 87 percent of the global internet population, offering a snapshot of how digital rights are being shaped, challenged, and protected around the world.

To measure internet freedom, Freedom House breaks down its assessment into three key categories: Obstacles to Access, Limits on Content, and Violations of User Rights.

Obstacles to Access highlights the structural barriers that prevent people from getting online. This includes everything from political decisions to shut down connectivity, to economic and infrastructural limitations that make the internet inaccessible to large swaths of the population. It also examines how governments control internet service providers and regulate access, affecting the independence of online spaces.

Limits on Content focuses on the control over what people can see, share, and discuss online. It looks at the laws that regulate content, the use of technical measures to block or filter websites, and how censorship stifles free expression, limits diverse voices, and forces individuals to self-censor out of fear of retaliation.

Finally, Violations of User Rights delves into the consequences of speaking, sharing, or organizing online. It covers everything from government surveillance and privacy violations to the legal and extralegal punishments people face for expressing their views.

The Internet Freedom Score is then calculated from these three categories: Obstacles to Access (0-25 points), Limits on Content (0-35 points), and Violations of User Rights (0-40 points), totaling a score out of 100. Based on their scores, countries are classified as Free (70-100), Partly Free (40-69), or Not Free (0-39).

The 2024 report shows how dramatically Internet freedom varies around the world. The Internet Freedom Score spans a range of 85 points, from a low of 9 to a high of 94. China and Myanmar hold the lowest score of 9, signaling heavy government control, censorship, and limited access to information. At the other extreme, Iceland scores 94, representing one of the freest internet environments globally.

On average, countries score 52.86 for internet freedom. The median score of 55 and the most common score of 59 suggest that most countries fall somewhere in the middle: moderate freedoms with some restrictions or challenges.

Of the 72 countries assessed, only 19 were classified as Free, while 32 were Partly Free, 21 were Not Free, highlighting the ongoing challenges for global internet freedom.

Obstacles to Access

In many countries, access to the internet is restricted not just for technical reasons, but as a deliberate tactic of control. Entire regions or populations are cut off from the web to suppress dissent or prevent the free flow of information.

Since the military coup in February 2021, Myanmar has faced multiple internet shutdowns, with the junta blocking access to key social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to prevent anti-government organizing. These blackouts also disrupted essential services such as banking, healthcare, and communication. The military controls a significant portion of the telecommunications sector, owning two of the four major service providers and exerting influence over regulatory bodies. This control has led to higher internet costs and further restrictions. Armed conflict has also damaged infrastructure, while inefficiencies and corruption have hindered development in both public and private sectors.

Cuba enforces strict internet controls, especially during political unrest. During the July 2021 protests, the government shut down mobile data and restricted internet access to prevent communication and organization. The government controls telecommunications and regulatory bodies, using this power to suppress free expression and influence public opinion. Internet access in Cuba is costly, and shared connections through institutions are often limited, unreliable, and restricted.

In 2020, Ethiopia imposed an internet shutdown in the Tigray region amid a military conflict, cutting off all internet and phone networks to prevent information about human rights violations from reaching the outside world. This shutdown was part of a broader government strategy to control information, particularly during times of conflict. Internet and electricity services are unreliable, with frequent blackouts, and prices are high due to the state-owned company that dominates the market. As a result, only about one-fifth of the population is estimated to have internet access.

After Sudanese protesters overthrew dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019, the transitional government imposed a weeks-long internet blackout to suppress protests and prevent coordination among activists. This disruption deprived citizens of communication, access to essential services, and the ability to report on government actions. Less than a third of the population has internet access, and power outages, infrastructure failures, and rising living costs have further hindered connectivity since the outbreak of the civil war between the Rapid Support Forces and Sudanese Armed Forces in 2023.

Pakistan has used internet restrictions to control dissent, such as during the 2019 protests in Kashmir, when the government imposed a partial shutdown, blocking internet services, restricting social media, and throttling speeds to prevent real-time updates. The government cited national security as justification, but these measures often serve to suppress opposition and control information. Such shutdowns continue around protests, elections, and other sensitive times. Despite increased internet penetration, significant digital divides remain, with rural areas lacking infrastructure and broadband access, and gender and socioeconomic inequalities affecting internet access.

In Screened, the obstacles to access are represented by the random visibility of characters in the text. As internet access is compromised in these regions, so too is the ability to see the full picture.

Limits on Content

While connecting to the internet is an essential issue, controlling what people can see and say online is equally critical. Governments around the world have implemented sophisticated strategies to censor content, block access to social media platforms, and control the narrative.

China's "Great Firewall" is one of the most advanced censorship systems around the world, blocking access to foreign websites like Google, Facebook, and Twitter, and replacing them with state-controlled domestic platforms. This system ensures citizens are exposed only to government-approved content. During the 2019 Hong Kong protests, the government censored coverage, scrubbed social media of related posts, and blocked search terms linked to the movement. Similarly, the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989 remains one of the most censored topics.

Iran enforces widespread internet censorship, particularly during protests or political unrest. During the 2009 Green Revolution, the government blocked websites and monitored communication to suppress dissent. In 2019, during protests over rising fuel prices, a nationwide internet shutdown was imposed to prevent the sharing of footage showing state violence and to hinder protest organization. Website owners must register with the Culture Ministry and comply with requests to remove content deemed unacceptable. Websites promoting political opposition, minority rights, or content against state-approved Islamic doctrine are routinely blocked, further limiting access to independent information. Platforms like Facebook, X, and TikTok are also blocked or filtered.

In 2020, Belarus severely restricted access to social media and news websites to suppress protests following a disputed election. The government blocked independent media and imposed frequent internet shutdowns to curb anti-government sentiment. These restrictions were paired with aggressive surveillance, leaving citizens with little access to uncensored information.

Myanmar again demonstrates the severe impact of content restriction. After the 2021 military coup, the military junta took steps to block news and social media websites, preventing citizens from sharing information about the protests and human rights abuses. In addition to blocking websites, Myanmar also heavily censors phone communication, curbing the ability of activists to organize or communicate with international media.

Russia has ramped up its censorship efforts in recent years. In 2022, following its invasion of Ukraine, Russia passed laws that make it illegal to spread "false information" about the war, with harsh penalties for anyone found guilty of criticizing the government's actions. This move was followed by the blocking of independent news sites and social media platforms.

In Screened, limits on content are represented by a blur overlay that intensifies with greater censorship, reflecting the hazy, distorted reality where independent information becomes harder to access.

Violation of User Rights

The erosion of internet freedom often involves not just blocking access or censoring content, but also the active surveillance and control of users. Governments and organizations are increasingly able to track online behavior, monitor communications, and manipulate individual actions online, often without their knowledge or consent. This violation of privacy is not just an abstract issue — it has real consequences for individuals' safety, freedom of expression, and autonomy.

China is a leading example of the use of digital surveillance to monitor its citizens. Through technologies like facial recognition, internet surveillance, and data collection, the Chinese government has been able to track the movements and actions of its citizens with startling precision. This system allows the Chinese government to create detailed profiles of individuals and punish those who engage in dissenting activities. There are few legal protections, and individuals can be imprisoned for online speech, with journalists, human rights activists, and minority groups often targeted.

Iran closely monitors online activity and communications, arresting those deemed to incite unrest, including journalists and activists. Online speech is heavily restricted, with severe punishments, extralegal intimidation, and violence. Service providers and platforms hosted in Iran must comply with government requests for user data; there is no comprehensive data protection law.

Since the February 2021 coup, Myanmar's junta has used digital surveillance to track political opponents, particularly activists and journalists critical of the regime. Military-controlled authorities and courts prosecute individuals for online activities, often imposing harsh sentences. Service providers are required to comply with government data requests, and there is no comprehensive data protection law.

The Belarusian government monitors internet activity and social media for dissent. Despite constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression and press freedom, these rights are not respected in practice. Following the 2020 political crisis, new laws criminalize free expression, with severe penalties, including death for terrorism or treason, aimed at silencing critics. The government uses data collection and surveillance technologies to track citizens' online behavior, leading to arrests and detention of those who criticize the regime. All telecommunications operators in Belarus are required to install surveillance systems, allowing for real-time monitoring of users.

Vietnam systematically violates user rights through online surveillance. While the constitution guarantees freedom of expression, the Communist Party of Vietnam tightly controls the media. Legislation, such as the Cybersecurity Law, restricts opposition activities, criminalizes criticism of the state, and allows the imprisonment and fines of journalists and internet users. Dissidents may face harassment, imprisonment, and severe sentences. Additionally, the law mandates users to register social media accounts with their real names, limiting anonymity and stifling free speech.

In Screened, violations of user rights are depicted through tracked mouse trails. As tracking intensifies, the trails become more prominent, representing the digital footprint left behind — a reminder that in some regions, every online action is under surveillance.

Appendix

This project is built on Freedom House's analysis of internet freedom around the world, with data sourced from their 2024 Country Score Data (.xlsx). The vignettes in each section focus on the five countries with the lowest scores in those specific categories. The charts were created using Flourish. The website and the score visualizations for the selected country were built using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Note: Freedom House already offers excellent data visualizations, including this interactive map and report. My intention was not to replicate these existing formats. Instead, I aimed to present the data in a fresh, immersive way that brings the concept of internet freedom to life, emphasizing its urgency and impact on users.

Project by Anna Zhang.