When it comes to internet freedom, Canada has among the fewest restrictions in the world, scoring better than the United States in a new study.
CompariTech is a network of technology researchers, developers, and writers committed to consumer advocacy. It compared internet bans and restrictions in 150 countries worldwide. The comparisons included political news media, torrent sites, pornography, social media, and VPNs. For each limitation or ban, each country accrued a point.
Not surprisingly, North Korea, where most internet is blocked, scored ten out of ten. China scored nine, while Russia, Turkmenistan, and Iran earned eight points.
On the other end of the scale, Canada had just one point for restricting torrents.
In all, 38 countries scored just one point, including Luxembourg, Switzerland, Croatia, Liberia, and New Zealand.
The United States earned two points for restricting some news media and restricting torrent sites.
Even countries one usually associate with open societies had more points than Canada, including the United Kingdom and Australia. Both countries have some restrictions on online pornography and are working to impose even more stringent rules.
The study concludes, "while it's no great surprise to see the likes of China, Russia, and North Korea topping the list, the growing number of restrictions in many other countries is greatly concerning."