The vast majority of countries are failing to tackle gender-based online violence, according to the World Wide Web Foundation’s 2014–15 Web Index.

The report, a comprehensive look at the web’s contribution to social, economic and political progress across 86 countries, concludes that in 74% of the nations examined, including many developed nations, “law enforcement agencies and the courts are failing to take appropriate actions” in situations where the web is used to commit acts of gender-based violence.

In too many countries, the Foundation says, there isn’t clear legal protection, either through the application of existing laws or the development of new ones, against gendered violence online. Additionally, neither training nor clear guidelines were provided to the police and judiciary, and the lack of arrest and prosecution of perpetrators implies that strong enforcement is not taking place.

The report also cites the proliferation of “revenge porn”, cyberstalking, and online sexual harassment as examples of ways that gender inequality can manifest as violence online.

Countries are ranked based on the economic, social and political benefit that they gain from the web. The UK is placed fourth after Denmark, Finland and Norway. Sweden rounds out the top five, and the US comes in sixth place. In 2013, Sweden was first in the world, with the UK third and US fourth.

“As the global economy becomes more digitally driven, countries’ ability to harness the Web for the common good may also start to influence how equal or unequal, as well as how rich or poor, they become,” the report argues. “Nordic policy-makers have been quick to adopt and promote the free Internet — and open access to information — as a 21st century public good. Others, as this year’s findings show, need to move fast to catch up.”

Freedom and surveillance



One reason for the slide in the UK and US positions in the ranking is Edward Snowden’s revelations about the extent of surveillance online. The result is that the proportion of the countries whose legal safeguards for privacy were judged “weak to non-existent” rose from 63% to 83% – and the UK, US, Australia, Canada and France all scored below three out of ten, placing them alongside China, Russia and Turkey.

In contrast, Brazil is held as a “beacon of hope”. The country’s Marco Civil law enshrines a right to a neutral, free and private web for all Brazilians, while also requiring the government to ensure equal access to connectivity and digital skills. “It arises from that country’s bitter experience of authoritarian rule, and reflects fresh determination to make the internet an instrument of emancipation rather than control,” the report’s authors write.

Set up by web inventor Tim Berners-Lee in 2008, the Word Wide Web Foundation is devoted to improving the quality of, and access to, the web. Speaking about the report, Berners-Lee said, “It’s time to recognise the internet as a basic human right. That means guaranteeing affordable access for all, ensuring internet packets are delivered without commercial or political discrimination, and protecting the privacy and freedom of web users regardless of where they live.

“In an increasingly unequal world, the web can be a great leveller — but only if we hardwire the rights to privacy, freedom of expression, affordable access and net neutrality into the rules of the game,” Berners-Lee concluded.