observed on GRENA, where Web sites carrying pornography and drug, violence, and
hate speech are actively blocked. 24
Commercial entities and public organizations filter some content mainly as a way of
reducing Internet traffic. Often, online gaming services and instant messaging services
are also affected. Researchers for ONI have observed that, in some Internet cafe ´s, limited access to bandwidth is the result of intensive downloading.
Georgia is also subject to upstream filtering. The main Georgian ISP buys its international connectivity from Turk Telecom. Consequently, the access ban imposed by
Turk Telecom to YouTube in March 2008 caused a temporary blocking of the popular
video-sharing site in Georgia.
Conclusion
At present, Internet filtering in Georgia appears to be limited to corporate and educational networks. With the exception of the Russia-Georgia war, which witnessed limited state-sanctioned filtering of Russian Internet resources, access to Internet content
remains largely unfettered. Georgia’s dependence on international connectivity makes
it vulnerable to upstream filtering, evident in the March 2008 blocking of YouTube by
Turk Telecom. It is unlikely that the government would look to impose further controls
over Internet content (or force ISPs to do so) given its strong public desire to forge
stronger links with NATO, the European Union, and the United States.
Notes
1. Georgia, a Soviet republic until 1991, is strategically situated at the crossroads between Europe
and Asia. Spreading over parts of the Caucasus Mountains with an outlet on the Black Sea, the
country has historically been the object of a struggle for influence among Russia, Turkey, and,
more recently, the United States.
2. World Bank, ‘‘Doing Business,’’ http://www.doingbusiness.org/EconomyRankings.
3. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Telecommunications Assessment, 2008,
http://www.ebrd.com/country/sector/law/telecoms/assess/index.htm.
4. BBC News, ‘‘Georgia Country Profile,’’ August 10, 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/
europe/country_profiles/1102477.stm.
5. Economist Intelligence Unit, ‘‘Georgia Country Profile,’’ 2009, http://store.eiu.com/country/
GE.html?ref=lef_nav.
6. Ibid.
7. Annual Reports of the Georgian National Communications Commission, http://www.gncc.ge/.
8. Ibid.
180
Georgia
hate speech are actively blocked. 24
Commercial entities and public organizations filter some content mainly as a way of
reducing Internet traffic. Often, online gaming services and instant messaging services
are also affected. Researchers for ONI have observed that, in some Internet cafe ´s, limited access to bandwidth is the result of intensive downloading.
Georgia is also subject to upstream filtering. The main Georgian ISP buys its international connectivity from Turk Telecom. Consequently, the access ban imposed by
Turk Telecom to YouTube in March 2008 caused a temporary blocking of the popular
video-sharing site in Georgia.
Conclusion
At present, Internet filtering in Georgia appears to be limited to corporate and educational networks. With the exception of the Russia-Georgia war, which witnessed limited state-sanctioned filtering of Russian Internet resources, access to Internet content
remains largely unfettered. Georgia’s dependence on international connectivity makes
it vulnerable to upstream filtering, evident in the March 2008 blocking of YouTube by
Turk Telecom. It is unlikely that the government would look to impose further controls
over Internet content (or force ISPs to do so) given its strong public desire to forge
stronger links with NATO, the European Union, and the United States.
Notes
1. Georgia, a Soviet republic until 1991, is strategically situated at the crossroads between Europe
and Asia. Spreading over parts of the Caucasus Mountains with an outlet on the Black Sea, the
country has historically been the object of a struggle for influence among Russia, Turkey, and,
more recently, the United States.
2. World Bank, ‘‘Doing Business,’’ http://www.doingbusiness.org/EconomyRankings.
3. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Telecommunications Assessment, 2008,
http://www.ebrd.com/country/sector/law/telecoms/assess/index.htm.
4. BBC News, ‘‘Georgia Country Profile,’’ August 10, 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/
europe/country_profiles/1102477.stm.
5. Economist Intelligence Unit, ‘‘Georgia Country Profile,’’ 2009, http://store.eiu.com/country/
GE.html?ref=lef_nav.
6. Ibid.
7. Annual Reports of the Georgian National Communications Commission, http://www.gncc.ge/.
8. Ibid.
180
Georgia