Photographs: Sivaram V/Reuters
Governments around the world have stepped up efforts to control, monitor and censor Internet, according to Freedom on the Net 2013 report by Freedom House, a non-governmental organisation.
Let's take a look at Internet freedom across the globe, including India.
Source: Freedom House
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How much freedom do Indians have on the Internet? Find out...
Image: A waiter serves coffee to students surfing the Internet at a cafe in Bangalore.Photographs: Reuters/Reuters
India
How free? Partly free
Obstacles to access: 15 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 12 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 20 out of 40 points
Total score: 47 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 36 out of 61
"The most significant year-on-year decline was seen in India, which suffered from deliberate interruptions of mobile and Internet service to limit unrest, excessive blocks on content during rioting in northeastern states, and an uptick in the filing of criminal charges against ordinary users for posts on social-media sites," says the Freedom House report.
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Image: Children skate on the ice of the frozen Tjoernin lake in central Reykjavik, Iceland.Photographs: Stoyan Nenov/Reuters
Iceland
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 1 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 1 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 4 out of 40 points
Total score: 6 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 1 out of 61
Iceland tops the list when it comes to Internet freedom.
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Image: View of Estonia's capital Tallinn.Photographs: Ints Kalnins/Reuters
Estonia
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 1 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 3 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 5 out of 40 points
Total score: 9 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 2 out of 61
Estonia has an excellent record when it comes to users having online freedom.
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Image: People enjoy a ride in a roller coaster at the traditional Bavarian beer festival Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.Photographs: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters
Germany
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 4 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 4 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 9 out of 40 points
Total score: 17 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 3 out of 61
Germany has a pretty good record when it comes to limits on content.
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Image: A Spiderman balloon passes through Times Square during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City, United States.Photographs: Brendan McDermid/Reuters
The United States
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 4 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 1 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 12 out of 40 points
Total score: 17 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 4 out of 61
The United States enjoys unrestricted access to Internet.
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Image: Shoppers leave a store in Sydney's central business district, Australia.Photographs: Daniel Munoz/Reuters
Australia
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 2 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 5 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 11 out of 40 points
Total score: 18 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 5 out of 61
Australia is ranked fifth when it comes to Internet freedom.
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Image: An aerial view shows the Sacre Coeur Basilica and rooftops of residential buildings on Montmartre in Paris, France.Photographs: Charles Platiau/Reuters
France
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 4 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 4 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 12 out of 40 points
Total score: 20 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 6 out of 61
France has more obstacles to access than Australia.
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Image: Pedestrians walk across a zebra crossing in Tokyo, Japan.Photographs: Stringer/Reuters
Japan
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 4 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 7 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 11 out of 40 points
Total score: 22 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 7 out of 61
Japan puts more limits on content than France.
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Image: People fight with pillows during the International Pillow Fighting Day in the centre of Budapest, Hungary.Photographs: Laszlo Balogh/Reuters
Hungary
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 5 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 8 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 10 out of 40 points
Total score: 23 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 8 out of 61
Hungary has unrestricted access to Internet.
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Image: A tourist asks for directions from one of several mobile guides on Segway 'chariots' at city hall in Rome, Italy.Photographs: Chris Helgren/Reuters
Italy
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 5 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 6 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 12 out of 40 points
Total score: 23 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 9 out of 61
Italy has a better record than Hungary when it comes to limits on content.
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Image: A customer stands outside The Churchill Arms pub in central London. The 18th century public house has twice won the 'London in Bloom' competition for its floral displays and hanging baskets which adorn the outside.Photographs: Toby Melville/Reuters
The United Kingdom
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 2 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 6 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 16 out of 40 points
Total score: 24 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 10 out of 61
The United Kingdom has a better record than Italy when it comes to obstacles to access.
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Image: People ride a wave swinger at a carnival in Manila, the Philippines.Photographs: Cheryl Ravelo/Reuters
The Philippines
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 10 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 5 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 10 out of 40 points
Total score: 25 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 11 out of 61
The Philippines is ranked 11th when it comes to Internet freedom.
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Image: A view of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, Georgia.Photographs: David Mdzinarishvili/Reuters
Georgia
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 8 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 7 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 11 out of 40 points
Total score: 26 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 12 out of 61
Georgia scores better than the Philippines when it comes to obstacles to access.
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Image: A shopper walks past a Foschini store at a shopping centre in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, South Africa.Photographs: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters
South Africa
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 8 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 8 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 11 out of 40 points
Total score: 26 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 13 out of 61
South Africa scores better than Georgia when it comes to obstacles to access.
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Image: Overview of Buenos Aires' 9 de Julio Avenue with the Obelisk in the background, Argentina.Photographs: Enrique Marcarian/Reuters
Argentina
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 8 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 10 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 9 out of 40 points
Total score: 27 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 14 out of 61
Argentina scores worse than South Africa when it comes to limits on content.
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Image: A motorcyclist rides past the Kenyan Parliament House clock tower in the capital Nairobi.Photographs: Thomas Mukoya/Reuters
Kenya
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 9 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 7 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 12 out of 40 points
Total score: 28 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 15 out of 61
Kenya scores better than Argentina when it comes to limits on content.
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Image: A view of central Kharkiv, Ukraine.Photographs: Gleb Garanich/Reuters
Ukraine
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 7 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 7 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 14 out of 40 points
Total score: 28 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 16 out of 61
Ukraine scores better than Kenya when it comes to obstacles to access.
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Image: A view of Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia.Photographs: Source, Serouj Ourishian/Wikipedia Commons
Armenia
How free? Free
Obstacles to access: 8 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 9 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 12 out of 40 points
Total score: 29 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 17 out of 61
Armenia scores worse than Ukraine when it comes to obstacles to access.
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Image: An aerial view shows the central business district in Nigeria's commercial capital of Lagos.Photographs: Akintunde Akinleye/Reuters
Nigeria
How free? Partly free
Obstacles to access: 10 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 8 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 13 out of 40 points
Total score: 31 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 18 out of 61
There are some restrictions on Internet freedom in Nigeria.
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Image: Tourists take pictures with the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon in the background in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Photographs: Ricardo Moraes/Reuters
Brazil
How free? Partly free
Obstacles to access: 7 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 8 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 17 out of 40 points
Total score: 32 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 19 out of 61
Brazil scores better than Nigeria when it comes to obstacles to access.
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Image: A subway station in the Gangnam area of Seoul, South Korea.Photographs: Lee Jae-Won/Reuters
South Korea
How free? Partly free
Obstacles to access: 3 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 13 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 16 out of 40 points
Total score: 32 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 20 out of 61
South Korea scores worse than Brazil when it comes to limits on content.
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Image: Dusk settles over the Angolan capital, Luanda.Photographs: Mike Hutchings/Reuters
Angola
How free? Partly free
Obstacles to access: 15 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 6 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 13 out of 40 points
Total score: 34 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 21 out of 61
Angola scores better than South Korea when it comes to limits on content.
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Image: A view of the lobby of Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort in Munyonyo, Uganda.Photographs: Stephen Morrison/Pool/Reuters
Uganda
How free? Partly free
Obstacles to access: 11 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 8 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 15 out of 40 points
Total score: 34 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 22 out of 61
Uganda scores worse than Angola when it comes to obstacles to access.
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Image: A herdsman leads his horses home in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, about 40km north of the capital Bishkek.Photographs: Vladimir Pirogov/Reuters
Kyrgyzstan
How free? Partly free
Obstacles to access: 12 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 10 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 13 out of 40 points
Total score: 35 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 23 out of 61
Kyrgyzstan is ranked 23rd when it comes to Internet freedom.
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Image: An aerial view shows Quito's Basilica church, Ecuador.Photographs: Guillermo Granja/Reuters
Ecuador
How free? Partly free
Obstacles to access: 10 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 11 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 16 out of 40 points
Total score: 37 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 24 out of 61
Ecuador scores better than Kyrgyzstan when it comes to obstacles to access.
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Image: An ice skating rink in Mexico City's Zocalo Square.Photographs: Edgard Garrido/Reuters
Mexico
How free? Partly free
Obstacles to access: 11 out of 25 points
Limits on content: 10 out of 35 points
Violations of user rights: 17 out of 40 points
Total score: 38 out of 100 points
Overall rank in Internet freedom: 25 out of 61
Mexico scores better than Ecuador when it comes to limits on content.
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