Internet censorship: What is it?

Internet censorship is the suppression of content on the internet, which may be undertaken by governments to limit knowledge. Schools and workplaces also block content on their networks to lessen distractions, while parents limit what’s accessible to protect children from unsuitable material.

Countries use internet censorship to prevent information from spreading, which suppresses challenges to their official narrative of the world. This is a way to exert control over people and prevent rebellion in society. Internet censorship by governments is also often motivated by moral or religious objections, as well as to prevent access to copyrighted material.

Censors employ technical methods to block its internet users from accessing a selection of websites (such as foreign news sites), apps (like Facebook and YouTube), and services (like Google). In some cases, countries enact laws that make it difficult to publish content to the internet. In extreme cases, they deny citizens access to the internet altogether. ExpressVPN’s 2020 Internet Censorship Report looks at how countries around the world practice internet censorship.

Skewed worldview: Censorship influences how we understand the world and society, often by presenting a more positive picture of one’s own society. It also prevents us from knowing about alternate ways of life around the world.

Inconvenience: It can be frustrating if the main online services you use are blocked when you’re traveling or living abroad. This could mean you must go without your main email, messaging apps, social media, and video chat tools that you rely on to stay in touch with family and friends, and for news and entertainment.

Business disadvantages: Companies are hampered by censorship when they don’t have access to all the information that could help them make business decisions. International companies with operations in countries that block popular communication services must also adapt by using apps available locally, regardless of their suitability and quality.

Loss of privacy: In high-censorship countries, individuals are limited to using a set of locally available social media and chat apps, and those apps are likely monitored for sensitive content, which gets removed before it can be widely disseminated.

Edited entertainment: A country might block streaming services or certain films and TV shows, or only permit versions that cut out content that runs counter to its preferred messaging.