Developing world wants free Internet

AFP Support strong for open Internet in developing world

Washington (AFP) - Support is strong across emerging and developing countries for an Internet without government censorship, a US survey showed 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 percent of those surveyed in Venezuela said they supported an unfettered Internet, as did at least 80 percent in Lebanon, Chile, Egypt, Argentina and Brazil.

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

"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 percent, 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 multistakeholder community."

While US officials said they would work to maintain a free and open Internet, critics of the decision said the move opens the door to other countries to impose new controls on online activity.

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Developing world wants free Internet