Kazakhstan Again Labeled a “Not Free” Country for Internet Freedom
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Freedom House has released its “Freedom on the Net 2025” report. Kazakhstan scored just 37 out of 100 points and once again ranked among the countries classified as “Not Free,” Orda.kz reports.
Across all three key categories — access, content, and user rights — the country received low scores.
In the category “obstacles to access,” Kazakhstan scored 14 out of 25 points. In “limits on content,” it received 12 out of 35.
For “violations of user rights,” the score was 11 out of 40. For comparison: Kyrgyzstan was the only country in Central Asia to place in the “Partly Free” group with 47 points.
Global internet freedom declined for the fifteenth consecutive year, with conditions worsening in 27 countries.
Experts point to growing censorship, pressure on activists, and manipulation of digital content as key factors. They say the online environment is becoming increasingly controlled and distorted, with authorities promoting narratives that serve their interests and shaping public opinion.
China and Myanmar remain at the bottom of the ranking with nine points each. Iceland (94) and Estonia (91) are recognized as the most free. The United States lost three points due to pressure on digital activism. In Germany, there have been criminal cases over memes, self-censorship, and cyberattacks.
The report specifically highlights that in countries with severe declines in freedom over the past 15 years (such as Russia, Türkiye, and Egypt), authorities actively use digital tools to pressure citizens.
Earlier, we reported that Kazakhstan is discussing the right to be forgotten. MP Natalia Dementyeva stated that citizens should have the ability to request the removal of their digital traces. The developers of the new Digital Code explained that completely deleting information is impossible, but the law would allow restrictions on access to and circulation of data. Exceptions would apply where storage is required by law or relates to public interest.
Pavel Durov has also called the internet a space of total control. The founder of Telegram spoke sharply about the future of the digital world. According to him, governments use the internet as a tool of pressure and are destroying privacy.
In addition, researchers at Cybernews have uncovered the largest data leak in history. More than 16 billion records — including logins, passwords, tokens, and cookies from all major services, from Apple ID to Telegram — were made publicly accessible.
Original Author: Ruslan Loginov
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