Azerbaijan, Baku, 8 May / corr. Trend E. Huseynov/ Most of the supporters of internet freedom and absence of censorship on the worldwide net live in Azerbaijan, reported Program on International Policy Attitudes of the United States.
According to the Organization, which conducted opinion poll in 20 different countries that account for 59% of the world population, some 79% of the interviewees who supported internet freedom are living in Azerbaijan while 74% of them are living in U.S., 72% in Nigeria, 71% in China, 69% in South Korea, 57% in Russia and 64% in Ukraine.
The opinion poll showed that majority of the interviewees believes that the media in their country should have maximum freedom. Two out of every three believe that there should be no censorship on the internet; everyone should have a right to post their information and to express their viewpoint. But majority of interviewees in Russia and several Muslim countries are sure that the government should be able to censor news in case journalists publish destructive information.
The maximum number of those who are sure that the government has a right to regulate information flow on the world net accounts for Jordan population (63%). Those living in Paris, Palestine and France also share this viewpoint. (44%).
53% of the interviewees believe that mass media should have right to independently disseminate news and opinions without government control. This viewpoint was supported by the population of Mexico 79%, Argentina 70%, Great Britain and Peru 65%, Egypt and South Korea 64%, China 58%, U.S. 56%, Azerbaijan 53%, Ukraine (39%), Iran 29% and only 23% in Russia.
About 66% in Jordan, 59% in Palestine, 56% in Indonesia, 52% in Egypt and 44% in Russia believe that the authorities of the country should have right to ban publication of information that can pose a threat for stability in the society. The respondents in those five countries support this viewpoint most of all. This viewpoint is also supported by 31% of population in Ukraine, 34% in Azerbaijan, and 27% in U.S. The Polish (13%), Peruvians (12%) and Mexicans (72%) are less interested in the government control over mass media.
According to opinion poll by Program on International Policy Attitudes of Maryland University, the media is free in the Great Britain (71% of the British believe that the press has maximum freedom), U.S. (66%), France (50%), and Turkey (41%), Russia (25%), Ukraine (18%), and Azerbaijan (14%). 1% of the British and Americans, 3% of French, 7% of the Turkish people, 4% of Russians and Ukrainians and 14% of Azerbaijanis believe that in principle, there is no freedom of press in the country, Washington ProFile reported.