FREEDOM ON
THE NET 2024
The Struggle
for Trust Online
diversity—dropped to their lowest average score in more than
10 years, excluding the two countries that were covered for the
first time in this edition. Today’s information space contributes
to and is degraded by many of the same challenges affecting
human society more broadly: rising political polarization, a
chilling of civic participation, partisan efforts to undermine
confidence in elections, and a long-term erosion of trust in
democratic institutions. These problems have interfered with
people’s fundamental rights to seek, receive, and impart diverse
information, form opinions, and express themselves online.
Today’s information space contributes
to and is degraded by many of the same
challenges affecting human society
more broadly.
6
@freedomonthenet
As voters around the world headed to the polls in 2024,
the preexisting threats to the information space only grew
more acute. Freedom House and other commentators
had warned that a perfect storm of challenges could
prove disastrous for information integrity during the
year. Generative AI has become more accessible, lowering
the barrier of entry for those seeking to create false and
misleading information. Many social media companies have
laid off the very teams that were dedicated to advancing
trust, safety, and human rights online. These warning
signs served as a catalyst for efforts aimed at rebuilding
confidence in online information during the coverage
period. Policymakers, tech companies, and civil society
groups experimented with ways to strengthen platform
governance, boost digital literacy, and incentivize more
responsible online behavior. Some initiatives showed
promise, though it is still too early to assess their efficacy.
Others failed to adequately protect internet freedom while
attempting to address false, misleading, and incendiary
content. To foster an online environment that offers highquality, diverse, and trustworthy information, successful
policies must include robust protections for free expression
and other fundamental rights.
#FreedomOnTheNet