<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><br><br>Sent from my iPhone</div><div><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><b>From:</b> Fahd Batayneh <<a href="mailto:fahd.batayneh@icann.org">fahd.batayneh@icann.org</a>><br><b>Date:</b> October 29, 2015 at 8:21:18 AM GMT+3<br><b>To:</b> Arab IGF <<a href="mailto:list@igfarab.org">list@igfarab.org</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>[Arab IGF] FW: Freedom on the Net 2015: Privatizing Censorship, Eroding Privacy</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> Arab IGF mailing list <<a href="mailto:list@igfarab.org">list@igfarab.org</a>><br><br></div></blockquote><div><span></span></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">FYI…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">This might be of interest to some.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Fahd Batayneh<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">ICANN<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Date: </span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 8:03 AM<br><b>Subject: </b>Freedom on the Net 2015: Privatizing Censorship, Eroding Privacy<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><div><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><img width="140" height="70" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D11222.C754DA70" alt="http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/6580/images/FH_logo_blue_small_PNG.png"></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="color:black"> </span></b><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Freedom on the Net 2015: Privatizing Censorship, Eroding Privacy</span><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style="text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Washington - October 28, 2015</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"> — Internet freedom around the world declined for the fifth consecutive year in 2015 as more governments censored information of public interest while also expanding surveillance and cracking down on privacy tools, according to <i><a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=tXgnntgT7IC4TLSxSg6RuiEXfIWFW3%2FI" target="_blank">Freedom on the Net 2015</a></i>, released today by Freedom House.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">“Governments are increasingly pressuring individuals and the private sector to take down or delete offending content, as opposed to relying on blocking and filtering,” said Sanja Kelly, project director for Freedom on the Net. “They know that average users have become more technologically savvy and are often able to circumvent state-imposed blocks.”</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">At the same time, encryption and anonymity tools crucial to securing freedom of expression were subject to restrictions worldwide.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">“Undermining online encryption and anonymity weakens the internet for everyone, but especially for human rights activists and independent journalists,” Kelly said. “Privacy tools can help protect internet users from the kinds of abuse we document.”</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">The study found that over 61 percent of all internet users live in countries where criticism of the government, military or ruling family has been subject to censorship online, and over 58 percent live in countries where bloggers or ICT users were jailed for sharing content on political, social, and religious issues.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Key Findings</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Most censored topics: </span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Criticism of the authorities was most likely to attract censorship or punishment. News about conflict, corruption allegations against top government or business figures, opposition websites, and satire were also subject to online censorship in over one third of the countries examined.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> <o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Content removals increased:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> Authorities in 42 of the 65 countries assessed required private companies or internet users to restrict or delete web content dealing with political, religious, or social issues, up from 37 the previous year.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Arrests and intimidation escalated:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> Authorities in 40 of 65 countries imprisoned people for sharing information concerning politics, religion or society through digital networks, up from 38 in last year’s report.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Surveillance laws and technologies multiplied:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> Governments in 14 of 65 countries passed new laws to increase surveillance since June 2014 and many more upgraded their surveillance equipment.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Governments undermined encryption, anonymity:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> Democracies and authoritarian regimes alike stigmatized encryption as an instrument of terrorism, and many tried to ban or limit tools that protect privacy.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">China was the world’s worst abuser of internet freedom, followed by Syria and Iran.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Since June 2014, 32 of the 65 countries assessed in <i><a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=SBavzFo2loqWFRgWoa0fbSEXfIWFW3%2FI" target="_blank">Freedom on the Net</a></i> saw internet freedom deteriorate. Notable declines were documented in Libya, France, and—for the second year running—Ukraine, amid its territorial conflict and propaganda war with Russia. </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Internet freedom saw its biggest gains in Sri Lanka and Zambia, which both experienced a recent change in government. Internet access became more affordable in Cuba after diplomatic relations were restored with the United States, but it remains out of reach for the majority.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">To view the summary of findings, see the <a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=MeOs%2BItkyp41uIiScwGMAyEXfIWFW3%2FI" target="_blank">report</a> or <a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=VQBXhMPWWV9cnk9cqZWn4yEXfIWFW3%2FI" target="_blank">download the PDF</a>. </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">To download a high resolution map of internet freedom, <a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=VE0UjR8xnu7iBtPAoKxd6SEXfIWFW3%2FI" target="_blank">click here</a>.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:14.65pt;vertical-align:baseline"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization that supports democratic change, monitors the status of freedom around the world, and advocates for democracy and human rights.</span></i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:14.65pt;vertical-align:baseline"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Join us on </span></i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=j38%2BXWBid%2F%2Bv5%2FwaYqjrwCEXfIWFW3%2FI" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:#55738D;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;text-decoration:none">Facebook</span></i></a><i><span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in"> and </span></i><a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=SGAwiGpuQGuPYmMwhl3o5yEXfIWFW3%2FI" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:#55738D;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;text-decoration:none">Twitter</span></i></a><i><span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in"> (freedomhousedc). Stay up to date with Freedom House’s latest </span></i><a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2BhvXsGROQJfZotH8S1Yp2SEXfIWFW3%2FI" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:#55738D;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;text-decoration:none">news and events</span></i></a><i><span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in"> by signing up for our </span></i><a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=EQ9hP%2B%2F35cwETAJpSmdhpiEXfIWFW3%2FI" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:#55738D;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;text-decoration:none">newsletter</span></i></a><i><span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">. </span></i></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote></body></html>