Technology and Scienceupdated 49m ago2 min read
Freedom House Says Iran’s Online Censorship And Shutdown Drive 16th Consecutive Internet Freedom Decline
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Global internet freedom declined for the 16th consecutive year. Iran ranked among the world's worst environments for internet freedom.
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Freedom House Map
Freedom House said global internet freedom declined for the 16th consecutive year in its report "Freedom on the Net 2026." Armenia scored 72 out of a possible 100 points, and the United States scored 73 points in the ranking.
Freedom House said Iran recorded the most significant deterioration during the coverage period, as authorities brutally repressed an antigovernment protest movement in January and enacted extreme online censorship after the United States and Israel attacked the country in February.
Freedom House said Iranian authorities imposed the longest nationwide internet shutdown Freedom on the Net has ever recorded, and it said the shutdown lasted about 88 days.
Freedom House said Estonia was the freest online environment, while China and Myanmar remained among the world’s worst environments for internet freedom.
Age Checks and AI
Freedom House warned that age-verification laws for users of digital platforms, though aimed at protecting children, open the door to collecting sensitive personal data, including facial images and identity documents. Freedom House said Australia began implementing a ban on social media use for those under 16 in December 2025, leading to the deletion of about five million accounts by March 2026.
Freedom House said policymakers took narrow approaches to challenges posed by AI-generated content, addressing meaningful problems but raising concerns about overreach in some countries. Freedom House said the report identified risks associated with content-misinformation laws produced by AI, while acknowledging the importance of addressing impersonation and online harassment.
Agentic AI and Control
Freedom House said authoritarians advanced efforts to isolate their populations from the global internet, and it said Iranian authorities restructured internet services so that only a privileged few could access global platforms. Freedom House said Russia’s President Vladimir Putin consolidated control over internet service providers (ISPs) to maintain access to state-approved websites during internet shutdowns, as authorities enacted connectivity restrictions across the country.
Freedom House Chief Executive Officer Jamie Fly said, "Agentic AI promises to transform the internet," and he warned that "Authoritarian actors are already weaponizing AI." Freedom House deputy director for research Kian Vesteinsson said, "Authoritarian regimes are reengineering the internet into a system of control, deciding who can connect, what they can see, and whether they can be heard."