The Repressive Power of Artificial Intelligence FREEDOM ON THE NET 2023 GLOBAL INTERNET USER STATS 4.9 billion Almost people have access to the internet. According to Freedom House estimates: 78 in countries where % live individuals were arrested or imprisoned for posting content on political, social, or religious issues. 68 in countries where % live authorities deployed progovernment commentators to manipulate online discussions. 67 in countries where % live individuals have been attacked or killed for their online activities since June 2022. 66 in countries where % live websites hosting political, social, or religious content were blocked. 54 in countries where % live access to social media platforms was temporarily or permanently restricted. 46% live in countries where authorities disconnected internet or mobile networks, often for political reasons. 6 @freedomonthenet Chaves Robles. Self-censorship reportedly increased as his government engaged in harassment of journalists, opposition politicians, and other critics. In one highprofile scandal, the health minister resigned in February 2023 after it was revealed that she had paid someone to harass journalists at three news outlets who reported on government mismanagement. The coming year will feature a number of consequential elections around the world, and some governments are already attempting to suppress unfavorable speech online. Ahead of Mexico’s July 2024 presidential election, term-limited incumbent Andrés Manuel López Obrador has used his office to fuel online harassment campaigns against opposition figures and undermine the independent election authority, presumably to ensure victory for his party’s candidate. Bright spots Iceland remained the best environment for internet freedom for the fifth consecutive year, followed by Estonia. Sri Lanka earned this year’s largest score improvement after authorities did not repeat blocking of social media platforms that had been imposed in April 2022 during mass antigovernment protests. While The Gambia is still ranked Partly Free, it has experienced the most significant improvement over the past decade in Freedom on the Net. The country’s trajectory demonstrates how broader efforts to rebuild democratic institutions after a period of repression can also benefit internet freedom. Digital activism and civil society advocacy drove real-world improvements for human rights during the coverage period. Online mobilization helped fuel the Georgian people’s movement against a dangerous bill that would have forced civil society groups to register as “foreign agents” if they received more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad. The bill was widely criticized for its similarities to a Russian law. Technology experts in Taiwan notched a victory for transparency after their investigations prompted authorities to admit that police had sidestepped a requirement to seek judicial oversight for website blocks. The judiciary continued to serve as a bulwark for internet freedom in many countries. In June 2022, Argentina’s highest court reinforced the right of access to information when it struck down a celebrity’s attempt to remove links to news #FreedomOnTheNet