that filtering or surveillance of Internet exists in all
types of businesses. Some practice “sanitized”
access to Internet, where employees can access
only a limited number of sites directly related to
the work they perform. Other enterprises allow
employees to access the Internet, but filter out
sexual, “harmful,” and “entertainment” content.
In cybercafés access is limited more by surveillance than by direct filtering. Specific content
is prohibited and, if accessed, the user is fined.
Approximately 56 percent of cybercafés’ administrators surveyed by ONI admitted to filtering
and surveillance activities. Other administrators
stated that they noted that some Web sites are
inaccessible, but would not confirm that they
used any specific filtering system in the cybercafé itself.
Conclusion
Despite increasingly authoritarian tendencies, the
Internet in Moldova remains largely unaffected by
filtering, at least at the backbone level. At “edge”
locations, such as cybercafés and some enterprises, ONI research revealed filtering that
restricted access to certain content and services.
Given that over half (55 percent) of all Moldovans
access the Internet through their workplace or
cybercafés, this form of filtering has a significant
impact on the way in which Moldovans “experience” the Internet. ONI research also suggests
that Moldovan security forces have developed
mechanisms to monitor Internet content. Given a
relatively underdeveloped legislative base protecting citizen’s rights and privacy, there are few
checks and balances in place to prevent authorities from taking a more aggressive stance on
policing Internet content.
NOTES
1. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, U.N.
Global E-Government Readiness Report 2005,
http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/
public/documents/un/unpan021888.pdf.
2. International Telecommunication Union, World
Telecommunication Indicators 2006.
3. A study conducted by the Centre of Sociological
Politological and Psychological Investigation and
Analysis CIVIS, 2005.
4. Centre of Sociological Politological and
Psychological Investigation and Analysis CIVIS,
2005.
5. See Paul Budde Communication Pty Ltd., Moldova:
Telecoms Market Overview & Statistics, April 2, 2006.
6. International Telecommunication Union, World
Telecommunication Indicators 2006.
7. See Paul Budde Communication Pty Ltd., Moldova:
Telecoms Market Overview & Statistics, April 2, 2006,
p. 6.
8. Super.md, http://www.super.md.
9. See Paul Budde Communication Pty Ltd., Moldova:
Telecoms Market Overview & Statistics, April 2, 2006.
10. Article 8 of the Law on Licensing Certain Types of
Activities, http://www.anrti.md/en/acte/
Leg_licente.htm#cap8 (last accessed April 30,
2007). The Law on Telecommunications and the
Regulation of Licensing of Telecommunications and
Informatics No. 5 of 2002 are also relevant to the
licensing regime of IT services.
11. Less than half of the interviewed enterprises are connected to the Internet, and the majority of these have
no more than two computers with access to the Net.
The number of employees allowed to use computers
with access is limited to nine in companies of medium size (from 50 to 249 employees). The use of
Internet is three times more intensive in urban enterprises than rural ones. Dialup access is used by
52.6 percent of businesses, with 39.7 percent using
broadband technologies.
332
Country Summaries
types of businesses. Some practice “sanitized”
access to Internet, where employees can access
only a limited number of sites directly related to
the work they perform. Other enterprises allow
employees to access the Internet, but filter out
sexual, “harmful,” and “entertainment” content.
In cybercafés access is limited more by surveillance than by direct filtering. Specific content
is prohibited and, if accessed, the user is fined.
Approximately 56 percent of cybercafés’ administrators surveyed by ONI admitted to filtering
and surveillance activities. Other administrators
stated that they noted that some Web sites are
inaccessible, but would not confirm that they
used any specific filtering system in the cybercafé itself.
Conclusion
Despite increasingly authoritarian tendencies, the
Internet in Moldova remains largely unaffected by
filtering, at least at the backbone level. At “edge”
locations, such as cybercafés and some enterprises, ONI research revealed filtering that
restricted access to certain content and services.
Given that over half (55 percent) of all Moldovans
access the Internet through their workplace or
cybercafés, this form of filtering has a significant
impact on the way in which Moldovans “experience” the Internet. ONI research also suggests
that Moldovan security forces have developed
mechanisms to monitor Internet content. Given a
relatively underdeveloped legislative base protecting citizen’s rights and privacy, there are few
checks and balances in place to prevent authorities from taking a more aggressive stance on
policing Internet content.
NOTES
1. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, U.N.
Global E-Government Readiness Report 2005,
http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/
public/documents/un/unpan021888.pdf.
2. International Telecommunication Union, World
Telecommunication Indicators 2006.
3. A study conducted by the Centre of Sociological
Politological and Psychological Investigation and
Analysis CIVIS, 2005.
4. Centre of Sociological Politological and
Psychological Investigation and Analysis CIVIS,
2005.
5. See Paul Budde Communication Pty Ltd., Moldova:
Telecoms Market Overview & Statistics, April 2, 2006.
6. International Telecommunication Union, World
Telecommunication Indicators 2006.
7. See Paul Budde Communication Pty Ltd., Moldova:
Telecoms Market Overview & Statistics, April 2, 2006,
p. 6.
8. Super.md, http://www.super.md.
9. See Paul Budde Communication Pty Ltd., Moldova:
Telecoms Market Overview & Statistics, April 2, 2006.
10. Article 8 of the Law on Licensing Certain Types of
Activities, http://www.anrti.md/en/acte/
Leg_licente.htm#cap8 (last accessed April 30,
2007). The Law on Telecommunications and the
Regulation of Licensing of Telecommunications and
Informatics No. 5 of 2002 are also relevant to the
licensing regime of IT services.
11. Less than half of the interviewed enterprises are connected to the Internet, and the majority of these have
no more than two computers with access to the Net.
The number of employees allowed to use computers
with access is limited to nine in companies of medium size (from 50 to 249 employees). The use of
Internet is three times more intensive in urban enterprises than rural ones. Dialup access is used by
52.6 percent of businesses, with 39.7 percent using
broadband technologies.
332
Country Summaries