All those who believe that today’s world is a freer place, with democratic ideals firmly rooted in the society, need to think again. This world is far from being liberated and tolerant. Ironically, the democratic governments spare no opportunity to curb freedom of expression and banning various communication channels that challenge the status quo. In recent times, social media has emerged as a powerful player in shaping the opinion of society. It should come as no surprise then that this medium often comes in the line of fire and is blocked by governments to stop dissemination of information.
Twitter, a popular social media site, faced the brunt of Turkish government and was banned in the country. Audio recordings that implicated Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a corruption scandal spread like wildfire via the social media site.
The graft scandal has the potential to significantly influence the upcoming local elections results. The move attracted widespread opposition from the civil society and international community, who advocated that the ban restricted basic rights of freedom of expression.
The ban was eventually overturned after facing a legal challenge, and helped the site gain even more users through anonymous networks. However, after suspension of the Twitter ban, the Turkish government has now blocked YouTube for what it called a security leak on national security matters.
The legal and social setup of all countries is not as proactive in calling for an uncensored digital media. The government of Pakistan blocked YouTube about 17 months ago in protest against blasphemous content on the site. Even though the controversial content has been removed, access to YouTube remains blocked in the country. Civil activists now link the ongoing ban to government’s desire to impose censorship, content filtering and moral policing that are against constitutional rights granted by the State.
In a recent poll by Pew Research Center, only 22 percent of Pakistan’s surveyed population expressed a desire to have an Internet free from official censorship.
Among the group of 24 developing countries, which place some form of restriction on Internet, this was the lowest score and reflected that certain degree of censorship remained acceptable in the Pakistani society.
It is time that governments all over the world realize that freedom of expression is now a societal norm. Increased penetration of different communication channels, especially electronic and social media, helps to enhance transparency and justice in the society. These channels have the ability to muster strong political support, as well as bring down governments.
The general support for uncensored media remains particularly high among the younger segments of population. The youth bulge and its need to remain connected with the global community is expected to play a decisive role in determining the future of developing nations.
Unfortunately, the cyberspace may continue to face attacks.
