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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Technology

Taiwan Ranks High in Latest Global Internet Freedom Index; North Korea, China at Bottom

From Liberty Times · (2d ago) Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Taiwan has been included in the latest global internet freedom rankings, with North Korea and China at the bottom.
  • The ranking assessed 171 countries across four aspects: BT download, VPN availability, adult content, and political/civil expression.
  • No country achieved a perfect score, with 11 nations sharing the top spot, while Taiwan ranked fifth among those with a score of 72.

Taiwan's inclusion in the latest global internet freedom rankings, alongside nations like Belgium and Denmark, is a significant recognition of its digital liberties. While the report highlights the pervasive censorship in countries like North Korea and China, with their abysmal scores, it also places Taiwan among a group of countries that demonstrate a strong commitment to online freedom. The report, which evaluates aspects such as VPN availability and political expression, underscores the stark contrast between democratic societies and authoritarian regimes in the digital sphere.

No country could get a perfect score.

— Visual Capitalist reportContextualizing the overall scores in the global internet freedom ranking.

This ranking is particularly noteworthy for Taiwan, a vibrant democracy in Asia that constantly navigates the complexities of cross-strait relations and external pressures. The fact that Taiwan scores 72, placing it in the fifth tier alongside countries like Italy and Spain, reflects its robust digital infrastructure and relatively open internet environment. This stands in sharp contrast to the mainland, where China's notorious 'Great Firewall' actively suppresses dissent and restricts access to global platforms, earning it a place at the bottom of the rankings.

Taiwan is on the list.

— Visual Capitalist reportHighlighting Taiwan's inclusion in the global internet freedom rankings.

From Taiwan's perspective, this acknowledgment is not just about internet freedom but also about its standing as a free and open society. In a region often dominated by authoritarian narratives, Taiwan's high ranking serves as a testament to its democratic values and its citizens' right to access information freely. The report's methodology, which considers political and civil expression, directly addresses the core tenets of Taiwan's democratic identity. While Western media might focus on the technological aspects or the geopolitical implications, for Taiwan, this is a reaffirmation of its commitment to freedom and human rights in the digital age.

The 'Great Firewall' of China is perhaps the world's most well-known censorship system.

— Visual Capitalist reportDescribing China's extensive internet censorship measures.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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