FREEDOM ON THE NET 2026 Seismic Shifts on the Global Internet Freedom on the Net 2026: Seismic Shifts on the Global Internet By Kian Vesteinsson T he shape of the internet is changing, as governments across the ideological spectrum erect new barriers to how people access information and express themselves online. Authorities in Iran and Russia accelerated efforts to cut connections to the global internet over the past year, advancing a playbook for how repressive governments can isolate their populations in the digital era. Countries around the world implemented new measures to age-gate access to social media platforms, introducing a landmark change in how platforms operate and introducing new privacy and security risks. Global internet freedom declined for the 16th consecutive year amid these significant shifts. During this report’s coverage period, from June 2025 through May 2026, conditions deteriorated in 16 of the 38 countries assessed, while 8 countries registered overall gains. The year’s largest decline occurred in Iran, which joined China and Myanmar as the world’s worst environments for internet freedom. Other significant declines were marked in Jordan, where the government cracked down on online discussion of conflicts in the region, and Nigeria, because of months-long localized internet disruptions affecting parts of Zamfara State. Bangladesh earned the largest improvement, followed by the Gambia, while Estonia was the freest online environment. Georgia’s status changed from Free to Partly Free, as authorities continued to suppress online activism and speech perceived to be critical of the ruling Georgian Dream party. Freedom House paused coverage of 34 countries in this edition of Freedom on the Net. The 38 countries covered by Freedom on the Net 2026 were selected to assess a range of environments across geography, regime types, and types of internet controls. Please consider making a donation to Freedom on the Net to support essential research on threats to freedom online. HOW FREE ARE THE WORLD'S HowINTERNET Free Are theUSERS? World's Internet Users? on70.9 the Net 2026 assesses 70.9 percent of theuser world’s internet user population. Freedom on the Net 2026Freedom assesses percent of the world’s internet population. % of total global internet users, by FOTN status Not Free Partly Free Free Not assessed 30.8% 31.0% 9.1% 29.1% This infographic is from the Freedom on the Net 2026 report by freedomhouse.org 2 @freedomhouse #FreedomOnTheNet