Support Strong for Open Internet in Developing World Channel NewsAsia
go to original March 19, 2014

% saying it is important that people have access to the internet without government censorship. (Pew Research Center)

Support is strong across emerging and developing countries for an Internet without government censorship, a US survey showed on Wednesday.

The Pew Research Center found a majority opposed to government restrictions on online activity in 22 of 24 countries surveyed.

Support was especially high among younger people and in countries with a high percentage of people using the Internet.

Eighty-nine per cent of those surveyed in Venezuela said they supported an unfettered Internet, as did at least 80 per cent in Lebanon, Chile, Egypt, Argentina and Brazil.

The numbers were high in Mexico (79 per cent), South Africa (77 per cent), Bolivia (76 per cent), Malaysia and the Philippines (both at 73 per cent) and Nigeria (72 per cent).

"Support for Internet freedom tends to be strong in nations with high rates of Internet penetration, such as Chile and Argentina, where roughly two-thirds of the population is online," the Pew report said.

"It is less common in nations with lower penetration rates, like Indonesia and Uganda," where 55 and 49 per cent, respectively, said they oppose government censorship.

The report comes days after the US government announced it was giving up its key role in charge of the Internet's technical operations, handing over those functions to "the global multi-stakeholder community."

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