China and Myanmar are tied for the worst internet freedom environments in the world, as digital freedoms decline globally for the 14th year in a row, according to a Freedom House report published Wednesday. The global decline was especially concerning considering just how many elections are being held this year, said Kian Vesteinsson, the report’s co-author. Dozens of countries have held, or are scheduled to hold, national elections globally in 2024.
“A free and open internet is critical for a well-functioning democracy in the 21st century, but as people around the world went to the polls, they struggled to access reliable information online,” Vesteinsson told VOA. For its annual Freedom on the Net report, Freedom House surveyed 72 countries, which comprise about 87% of the world’s population of internet users. Of those, 41 held or will hold national elections this year.
