Preamble:

A few months ago I made a publication with the title "censored" link in the text that briefly outlined the situation of Internet restrictions in Venezuela. In that publication, undoubtedly, many points remained to be developed, but it allows me to retake the idea to talk about Internet restrictions in the world and freedom of expression.

Development:

It is known that the country where I live (Venezuela) is going through a strong economic, social and political crisis. Many people are inclined to think that it is a marked oppressive socialist ideology through the governing regime.

This oppression described as tyranny restricts the right to food, education, freedom and even the most basic rights such as the enjoyment and the right to communication.

Do all these factors directly affect the quality of life of Venezuelans? Of course yes. However, we will focus on the right to free communication. Let's assess the impact and conclude whether: "Internet is or is not restricted in Venezuela."

Let's look first from the "objective reality". On a general level, technologically speaking, it is mentioned that Venezuela is still seen as one of the countries with the opportunity to continue growing digitally and virtually.

In addition to the previous premise, Venezuela also qualifies as a country of high technological consumption, these actions led by Venezuelans mean that we place ourselves in the 2nd place with greater organic reach worldwide. Likewise, they recognize us among countries with a fixed connection and in turn the slowest. _{Possibly something paradoxical, right?}

Regarding Web traffic, yiminshum reveals the following information:

El 70% del tráfico en el año 2018 proviene de las laptops y computadoras personales (PC), sin embargo, tuvo un descenso del 4% con respecto al año pasado (2017), el segundo tráfico son los teléfonos móviles que representan un 25%, teniendo un ascenso del 13%, el tercer tráfico es de 4%, con una baja del 5% y otros dispositivos 0,05% con una subida del 25%. Fuente.

Without a doubt, they are interesting data that reveal information about the most used means by Venezuelans to access the Internet.

From the empirical reality, we usually see the number of young people with high-tech mobile phones which could reverse very soon the data provided by yiminshum. The electrical impact, the difficult access to basicgoods and the difficulty to repair electronic devices due to the purchasing power, has dramatically changed the reality of the Venezuelan. Accessing the Internet is an urgent need today in the face of a strong crisis.

The history of repression and prohibitions:

Communism throughout history has imposed walls, it uses them to try to contain people and their needs, claiming that it does good to citizens or gives them protection in order to justify such action; case for example of the high and collapsed physical wall (commemorating at this time 30 years of history) in Berlin; other walls are media, virtual and made with news or propaganda that appear to be positive but do not exist, the use of haters to create conflicts, creation of fictitious accounts in current social networks, invasion of privacy; among other strategies, until the absolute blocking of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to prohibit access to free information.

The reason for not wanting the dissemination of information is none other than social control, censorship and isolation of learning.

It is to be recognized that worldwide organizations such as the UN (United Nations Organization) and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) care about the rights of the people, as well as their culture; Therefore, the actions of these organizations have been focused on declaring the access and use of the Internet as a fundamental human right, and implementing it in the educational environment of man; therefore, prohibiting any individual from being in contact with the web and the digital world is an act that threatens their development, evolution, and aspirations; This act of prohibition, then, must be punishable by law.

Unfortunately, for the Venezuelan regime, these decrees are only words or standards, and with premeditation they are ignored. In the country, through its state-controlled telecommunication operator, vulgar censorship is applied to information; and the blockade is also evident especially when there are alarming situations such as protests, discontent or when they exert excessive force as social control against the defenseless people.

Solutions:

Considering computer tools as an alternative, there are different tricks or strategies to circumvent censorship, among these recommended techniques are: changing server addresses, modifying IP protocols, among others. The most reliable alternative recently disseminated is to download, on mobile devices and personal computers, applications that enable the activation of a virtual private network or VPN, to protect the internet connection that is used, accessing blocked sites or data. In more common words, it is to pretend that we live in another place (geolocation) and then go hidden with a false address or a new IP. These applications are very common and can be free or commercial (Example: ProtonVPN).

The truth is that censorship is not exclusive to Venezuela, in other countries they frequently use these methods to isolate people and exercise control for the purposes desired by their agents or interested parties.

Does anyone supervise governments with reference to these prohibitions?

Although there is NetBlocks (described as an organization in the post previously mentioned link in the text; Even when they as an organization generate reports of these irregularities, there is no world government that guarantees full freedom to all the inhabitants of the planet equally, so it is subject to the power of ambition, to the interests and treaties that the presidents who lead The destiny of nations be willing to defend.

Only education, research, and constant development remain as weapons against the abuses perpetrated on freedoms. And despite everything, the evolution continues, they offer us a light with global satellite projects, such as the current Starlink with which they will mark a before and after in the internet access.

Finally, the following thought becomes effective:

"There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly."
Thoreau H.

Thanks for reading and comments on the subject.

Greetings.

A real pleasure and thanks to (@upmewhale)