computer (PC) ownership. The International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2005 estimates
show that only 4 percent of the population owns
a PC. 9 Although ISPs have considerably reduced
their access costs (for example, by leasing outdated or redundant infrastructure from
Ukrtelecom) and a few providers offer free
access during the night, most Ukrainians cannot
afford to use the Internet: 46.8 percent of the
population identified themselves as poor. 10 Men
are more frequent users than women (at 59.3
percent), and most users access Internet at the
office, cybercafés, or home. The most popular
search engines in Ukraine are Ukrainian
www.BigMir.net and www.Ukr.net, Russian
Yandex and Rambler, and Google.
Legal and regulatory frameworks
The 2003 Law on Communications established
the National Communication Regulation
Commission, which regulates the IT and
telecommunications market. Under this law
telecommunications operators require a license
before starting activity. 11 With the present government, the Internet enjoys a high degree of
freedom. Internet activity is not subject to licensing or other forms of regulation. Liberalization of
the market has led to a rapid increase in the number of ISPs, which numbered 260 in 2006.
At present there are no controls on Internet
access or content. However, this may be changing as government figures have made public
calls for stricter regulation of the internet, citing
national security concerns. 12 Suggested measures include licensing ISPs, registering Internet
resources, and monitoring content related to
obscene or harmful material. The threat of
Internet censorship was raised in 2005 when the
Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications
introduced, and subsequently withdrew, a decree
regulating registration of Web sites hosted in
Ukraine for the purposes of national security. 13
An earlier Act to introduce mechanisms for
Internet monitoring (the 2002 Order of the State
Committee on Communications) required ISPs to
install a state monitoring system in order to provide Internet access to state organizations. The
purpose of this monitoring was to control
unsanctioned transmission of data containing
state secrets. However, a “state secret,” as provided in current regulations, lacks concrete definition, allowing authorities broad discretion in
interpretation. The difficulties in separating state
from nonstate users expose the latter to monitoring. Human rights groups have suggested that
the Security Service has been intercepting messages and carrying out surveillance on over
approximately 50 percent of Ukrainian traffic. 14
The Council of National Security and
Defense is the main governmental body responsible for national security and defense; this body
is chaired by the president. The Council monitors
information security policy and coordinates the
work of the other executive bodies in this field.
The Security Service of Ukraine is empowered to
initiate criminal investigations and use wiretapping devices on communications. Legislation
has not made clear either the circumstances that
justify interception of information from communication channels, or the time limits of any such
interception. 15 The recently established State
Service for Special Communications and
Information Protection Service implements governmental policy on protecting state information
and confidential communication, and exercises
control over cryptographic and technical information security. 16
The Law on Protection of Public Morals of
November 20, 2003, enacted during the term of
the previous government, is still effective. It prohibits production and circulation of pornography;
dissemination of products that propagandize war
or spread national and religious intolerance;
humiliation or insult to an individual or nation on
the grounds of nationality, religion, or ignorance;
and the propagation of “drug addition, toxicology, alcoholism, smoking and other bad habits.”
The National Expert Council for the Protection of
402
Country Summaries
Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2005 estimates
show that only 4 percent of the population owns
a PC. 9 Although ISPs have considerably reduced
their access costs (for example, by leasing outdated or redundant infrastructure from
Ukrtelecom) and a few providers offer free
access during the night, most Ukrainians cannot
afford to use the Internet: 46.8 percent of the
population identified themselves as poor. 10 Men
are more frequent users than women (at 59.3
percent), and most users access Internet at the
office, cybercafés, or home. The most popular
search engines in Ukraine are Ukrainian
www.BigMir.net and www.Ukr.net, Russian
Yandex and Rambler, and Google.
Legal and regulatory frameworks
The 2003 Law on Communications established
the National Communication Regulation
Commission, which regulates the IT and
telecommunications market. Under this law
telecommunications operators require a license
before starting activity. 11 With the present government, the Internet enjoys a high degree of
freedom. Internet activity is not subject to licensing or other forms of regulation. Liberalization of
the market has led to a rapid increase in the number of ISPs, which numbered 260 in 2006.
At present there are no controls on Internet
access or content. However, this may be changing as government figures have made public
calls for stricter regulation of the internet, citing
national security concerns. 12 Suggested measures include licensing ISPs, registering Internet
resources, and monitoring content related to
obscene or harmful material. The threat of
Internet censorship was raised in 2005 when the
Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications
introduced, and subsequently withdrew, a decree
regulating registration of Web sites hosted in
Ukraine for the purposes of national security. 13
An earlier Act to introduce mechanisms for
Internet monitoring (the 2002 Order of the State
Committee on Communications) required ISPs to
install a state monitoring system in order to provide Internet access to state organizations. The
purpose of this monitoring was to control
unsanctioned transmission of data containing
state secrets. However, a “state secret,” as provided in current regulations, lacks concrete definition, allowing authorities broad discretion in
interpretation. The difficulties in separating state
from nonstate users expose the latter to monitoring. Human rights groups have suggested that
the Security Service has been intercepting messages and carrying out surveillance on over
approximately 50 percent of Ukrainian traffic. 14
The Council of National Security and
Defense is the main governmental body responsible for national security and defense; this body
is chaired by the president. The Council monitors
information security policy and coordinates the
work of the other executive bodies in this field.
The Security Service of Ukraine is empowered to
initiate criminal investigations and use wiretapping devices on communications. Legislation
has not made clear either the circumstances that
justify interception of information from communication channels, or the time limits of any such
interception. 15 The recently established State
Service for Special Communications and
Information Protection Service implements governmental policy on protecting state information
and confidential communication, and exercises
control over cryptographic and technical information security. 16
The Law on Protection of Public Morals of
November 20, 2003, enacted during the term of
the previous government, is still effective. It prohibits production and circulation of pornography;
dissemination of products that propagandize war
or spread national and religious intolerance;
humiliation or insult to an individual or nation on
the grounds of nationality, religion, or ignorance;
and the propagation of “drug addition, toxicology, alcoholism, smoking and other bad habits.”
The National Expert Council for the Protection of
402
Country Summaries