Censorship of the Internet is commonplace in most regions of the world. It is clear that in most countries over the past two years there has been an acceleration of efforts to either close down or inhibit the Internet. In some countries, for example in China and Burma, the level of control is such that the Internet has relatively little value as a medium for organised free speech, and its used could well create additional dangers at a personal level for activists.
– From Silenced: Censorship and Control of the Internet, a publication of Privacy International
The report also notes that one growing trend is the rise of multinational corporate Internet censors.