The map above shows which countries censor the internet the most and which ones have the fewest controls.
It’s based on data collected by tech site Comparitech.
Here were their criteria
We scored each country on six criteria. The higher the score, the more censorship.
- Torrenting (2 points)
- Restricted but accessible (1 point)
- Banned and/or websites actively taken down (1 point)
- Pornography (2 points)
- Restricted but accessible (1 point)
- Banned* (1 point)
- Political media (2 points)
- Restricted to some extent, e.g. some censorship (1 point)
- Heavily censored, e.g. government-only channels available and/or journalists facing severe jail terms or being killed (1 point)
- Social media (3 points)
- Some censorship taking place, e.g. people being served jail terms for content posted on social media (1 point)
- Restricted, e.g. evidence of platforms being taken down during protests, school exams, etc. and/or heavy surveillance of the platforms (1 point)
- Banned* (1 point)
- VPNs (2 points)
- Restricted (1 point)
- Banned (1 point)
- Messaging/VoIP applications (1 point)
- Restricted, e.g. some platforms banned (often, government or state-owned telecom providers will have alternatives) (1 point)
*While certain websites, channels, and platforms may be banned, users may still gain access to them, e.g. via VPNs.
And here’s the full data sorted by the most censored countries:
| Country | Score | Torrents Restricted? | Torrents Banned or Shut Down? | Pornography Restricted? | Pornography Banned? | Political Media Restricted? | Political Media Heavily Censored? | Social Media Censored? | Social Media Restricted? | Social Media Banned? | VPNs Restricted | VPNs Banned? | Messaging and VoIP App Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 12 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Iran | 12 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| North Korea | 12 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Iraq | 11 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Myanmar | 11 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Pakistan | 11 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Russia | 11 | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Turkmenistan | 11 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Egypt | 10 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
| Oman | 10 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
| Saudi Arabia | 10 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
| United Arab Emirates | 10 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
| Belarus | 9 | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y |
| Eritrea | 9 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y |
| India | 9 | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
| Indonesia | 9 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N |
| Jordan | 9 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Kazakhstan | 9 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
| Qatar | 9 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Sri Lanka | 9 | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
| Sudan | 9 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N |
| Syria | 9 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
| Turkey | 9 | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
| Uzbekistan | 9 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
| Bangladesh | 8 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Cuba | 8 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
| Equatorial Guinea | 8 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Ethiopia | 8 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Kuwait | 8 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Libya | 8 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Somalia | 8 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Thailand | 8 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N |
| Uganda | 8 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N |
| Venezuela | 8 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y |
| Vietnam | 8 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Yemen | 8 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Afghanistan | 7 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Algeria | 7 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Bahrain | 7 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N |
| Brunei | 7 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Cambodia | 7 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Israel | 7 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Laos | 7 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Malaysia | 7 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Palestine | 7 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Tanzania | 7 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Azerbaijan | 6 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Brazil | 6 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Burkina Faso | 6 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Djibouti | 6 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Kyrgyzstan | 6 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Lebanon | 6 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Nepal | 6 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Nigeria | 6 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Philippines | 6 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Senegal | 6 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Singapore | 6 | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| South Korea | 6 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| South Sudan | 6 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Tajikistan | 6 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N |
| Togo | 6 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Tunisia | 6 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | Y |
| Armenia | 5 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Australia | 5 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Bhutan | 5 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Burundi | 5 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Cameroon | 5 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Central African Republic | 5 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Chad | 5 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Ecuador | 5 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Eswatini | 5 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Georgia | 5 | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Guatemala | 5 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Honduras | 5 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Hong Kong | 5 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Lesotho | 5 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Maldives | 5 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Mauritius | 5 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Morocco | 5 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Mozambique | 5 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| Nicaragua | 5 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Rwanda | 5 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Ukraine | 5 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Zambia | 5 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Zimbabwe | 5 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Angola | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Argentina | 4 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Benin | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Botswana | 4 | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Colombia | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Comoros | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Democratic Republic of Congo | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| El Salvador | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Fiji | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| France | 4 | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Gabon | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Germany | 4 | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Guinea | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Japan | 4 | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Kenya | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | Y |
| Liberia | 4 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Madagascar | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Mali | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Mauritania | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Mexico | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | Y |
| Niger | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Papua New Guinea | 4 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Republic of the Congo | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Sierra Leone | 4 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| South Africa | 4 | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| United Kingdom | 4 | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Austria | 3 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Belize | 3 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y |
| Bulgaria | 3 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Côte D'Ivoire | 3 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Cyprus | 3 | Y | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Greece | 3 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Hungary | 3 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Italy | 3 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Latvia | 3 | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Lithuania | 3 | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Malawi | 3 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Namibia | 3 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
| Paraguay | 3 | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Peru | 3 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Romania | 3 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Spain | 3 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Suriname | 3 | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | Y |
| United States | 3 | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Uruguay | 3 | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Albania | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Andorra | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Belgium | 2 | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Bolivia | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Canada | 2 | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Cape Verde | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Chile | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Croatia | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Denmark | 2 | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Dominican Republic | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Finland | 2 | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Gambia | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Ghana | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Guinea-Bissau | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Guyana | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Haiti | 2 | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y |
| Iceland | 2 | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Ireland | 2 | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Jamaica | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Kosovo | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Malta | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Moldova | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Mongolia | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Montenegro | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Netherlands | 2 | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| New Zealand | 2 | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| North Macedonia | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Norway | 2 | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Panama | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Poland | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Portugal | 2 | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Serbia | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Seychelles | 2 | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Slovenia | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Sweden | 2 | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Taiwan | 2 | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Tonga | 2 | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 2 | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Costa Rica | 1 | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Czech Republic | 1 | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Estonia | 1 | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Liechtenstein | 1 | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Luxembourg | 1 | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Samoa | 1 | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Slovakia | 1 | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Switzerland | 1 | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Timor-Leste | 1 | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
Do you think there is too much or too little censorship online?