Freedom of speech and the press is a core right, which is crucial for maintaining freedom. Of course, the people most often watched by the press are those in government and so government is often hostile to a free press, because it doesn't want light shed on its misdeeds.
An article by Reporters Sans Frontières (Reporters without Borders) in France lists a total of forty-five countries that restrict their citizens' access to the Internet. Of those, twenty are extremely hostile to the global communications system.
Authoritarian regimes have particular problems with the Internet. Although the Internet is a major factor in economic growth, it also opens the floodgates of free speech and information and therefore constitutes a major threat. The great dictators of the 20th Century all made a major point of seizing control of the organs of public communications.
Typically the rationale for the restrictions is that of protecting the public from "subversive ideas" or defending "national security and unity." Governments restrict access by forcing users to subscribe via a single state-run Internet Service Provider (ISP) or using government-controlled filters on various ISPs, which block access to sites regarded as unsuitable. Sometimes the filters actually force users to register with the authorities.
It will prove interesting to see which side of the struggle wins the battle. As economic pressures mount, the efforts of countries to keep their people from world communications may prove insurmountable.
Related Links:
• The Enemies Of The Internet - Reporters Without Borders