Poll: US leads in support for uncensored Internet

The United States has one of the largest shares of people who believe it is “very important” to have an Internet that is uncensored by the government, according to Pew Research. 

A global survey that polled 38 countries found 69 percent of people in the United States believe it is very important to have an Internet outside the censorship controls of the state. Another 22 percent said it is somewhat important, while 7 percent said it is not important. 

{mosads}That is similar to support in Argentina, Germany and Spain. 

The global median is 50 percent. 

Countries in Africa, the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East are least likely to prioritize a non-state run Internet. China was not included in the survey.

Less than 25 percent of people in Pakistan, Indonesia and Burkina Faso said it is very important to have an Internet outside of state control. 

Those countries also have low Internet penetration rates, and Pew found a strong correlation between the percentage of Internet users or smartphone owners and the importance of a free Internet. 

Pew predicted that “as access to the Web continues to spread around the globe in the coming years, the desire for freedom in cyberspace may grow as well.” 

The survey also found that the U.S. is not the leader in Internet and smartphone penetration. Its numbers rank near the top of the list but fall narrowly behind South Korea, Australia and Canada.

About 87 percent of people in the United States said they use the Internet at least occasionally — an eight point rise since 2012. 

Similarly, 91 percent of U.S. people reported owning a cellphone, with 79 percent of those being smartphones.  

But 89 percent of South Koreans reported using the Internet, and cellphone penetration in that country is 100 percent, with 88 percent smartphone owners.

Australia had the highest reported Internet use, with 92 percent. Ninety-four percent of the people living their own a cellphone, including 83 percent who have smartphones. 

Ninety percent of people in Canada reported using the Internet, while cellphone penetration lagged at 83 percent.