I’m a dyed-in-the-wool globetrotter and I mostly travel solo. When I landed in Mali, one of the first things I did after settling in and putting back some food was set out to find an Internet café—just to fill in my curious, sometimes worried loved ones back home. The Internet is a way for me to share (via my blog) my photos, adventures, and misadventures, or to denounce local situations, all at a low cost here and elsewhere!

Low cost for me, sure, but the same can’t be said for the locals. It costs 500 CFA ($1.25) for one hour of Internet connection. But the average salary of 72% of the Malian population is $2—a day! It goes without saying that connecting to the Internet is not a huge priority! In this country, like in so many other developing countries in Africa, the low rate of use can be explained by the high cost of an Internet connection and the lack of infrastructure (electricity, networks, or technology). In its 2007 world report, the United Nations Development Programme (UNEP) stated that in 2005 Mali had 4 Internet users for every 1,000 inhabitants. To think that here in Canada, that figure was the reality back in—1990! These days, it’s more like 730 users for every 1,000.

However, it’s a different story in certain parts of the Middle East and Asia. In some countries, like Burma, China, or Iran, Internet use is made difficult by government policies that aim to control the flow of information. The “Enemies of the Internet” report published by Reporters Without Borders in 2009 is full of tidbits, each more surprising than the last, and many that are downright absurd.

China is known around the world for censorship and attacks on freedom of expression. In practical terms, there are currently 49 “cyber-dissidents” imprisoned for criticizing the political regime. If you want to publish on the Net risk-free, just choose a pro-government message—that way you can earn 5 cents for each article!

Neighbouring Burma does not paint a much prettier picture. The country has less than 1 Internet user per 1,000 inhabitants and a penal code that imposes a 15-year prison sentence for using a modem without government authorization. That’s not all—a Burmese comedian was recently sentenced to 35 years in prison (!) for publishing a blog post criticizing the poor government management of  humanitarian aid from the international community following Cyclone Nargis. But the horror of all horrors, in my opinion, is the situation in Iran, whose penal code prescribes the death sentence for creating a blog that encourages corruption, prostitution, or apostasy (public abandonment of one’s faith—in this case, Islam). Luckily, no Iranians have been charged or sentenced—yet.

After learning of all the above-mentioned situations, you can imagine how privileged I feel to have access to the Internet without having to worry about ending up in prison for writing this article!