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Freedom on the Net 2025

Argentina

Free
71
100
A Obstacles to Access 20 25
B Limits on Content 27 35
C Violations of User Rights 24 40
Last Year's Score & Status
71 100 Free
Scores are based on a scale of 0 (least free) to 100 (most free). See the methodology and report acknowledgements.
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header1 Key Developments, June 1, 2024 – May 31, 2025

Argentina’s environment for internet freedom remained relatively robust, with strong protections for online expression and access to online content. However, there were further reported increases in online and physical harassment targeting journalists and outspoken users, and a significant portion of these actions were led and amplified on social media by government figures.

  • In March 2025, the government suspended Telecom Argentina’s proposed $1.2 billion purchase of the Argentine unit of Spain’s Telefonica, citing concerns about reduced competition in the country’s telecommunications market (A4).1
  • In July 2024, President Javier Milei established the Artificial Intelligence Unit Applied to Security, which would enable security forces to deploy artificial intelligence technologies—including so-called predictive policing, facial recognition, and social media monitoring—to both investigate and anticipate crimes.2 Human rights groups warned that the technologies could be used to surveil perceived political opponents and journalists and would encourage self-censorship, ultimately posing a serious threat to privacy and free expression (B4 and C5).3
  • In September 2024, the government issued Decree 780/2024,4 which modified the Law on Access to Public Information to stipulate that those requesting information from the government must verify their identity, undermining their ability to remain anonymous (C1 and C5).5
  • Media outlets faced cyberattacks during the coverage period. In April 2025, the news outlet Perfil was hacked by a group called Gov.Eth and disabled for approximately an hour. Images on the outlet’s homepage were replaced with a photograph of President Milei’s identification document and antisemitic messages (C8).6

header2 Political Overview

Argentina is a vibrant representative democracy with competitive elections, lively media and civil society sectors, and unfettered public debate. Economic instability, institutional weakness, corruption, and drug-related violence are among the country’s most serious challenges.

This report has been abridged for Freedom on the Net 2025 due to ongoing budget constraints. Please consider making a donation to support future editions of this vital resource.

For additional background information, see last year’s full report.

A Obstacles to Access

A1 1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
Do infrastructural limitations restrict access to the internet or the speed and quality of internet connections? 6.006 6.006

Score Change: The score improved from 5 to 6 because mobile connection speeds increased, according to some measurement sources.1

A2 1.00-3.00 pts0-3 pts
Is access to the internet prohibitively expensive or beyond the reach of certain segments of the population for geographical, social, or other reasons? 2.002 3.003
A3 1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
Does the government exercise technical or legal control over internet infrastructure for the purposes of restricting connectivity? 6.006 6.006
A4 1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
Are there legal, regulatory, or economic obstacles that restrict the diversity of service providers? 4.004 6.006
A5 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
Do national regulatory bodies that oversee service providers and digital technology fail to operate in a free, fair, and independent manner? 2.002 4.004

B Limits on Content

B1 1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
Does the state block or filter, or compel service providers to block or filter, internet content, particularly material that is protected by international human rights standards? 5.005 6.006
B2 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
Do state or nonstate actors employ legal, administrative, or other means to force publishers, content hosts, or digital platforms to delete content, particularly material that is protected by international human rights standards? 3.003 4.004
B3 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
Do restrictions on the internet and digital content lack transparency, proportionality to the stated aims, or an independent appeals process? 3.003 4.004
B4 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
Do online journalists, commentators, and ordinary users practice self-censorship? 3.003 4.004
B5 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
Are online sources of information controlled or manipulated by the government or other powerful actors to advance a particular political interest? 2.002 4.004
B6 1.00-3.00 pts0-3 pts
Are there economic or regulatory constraints that negatively affect users’ ability to publish content online? 2.002 3.003
B7 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
Does the online information landscape lack diversity and reliability? 3.003 4.004
B8 1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
Do conditions impede users’ ability to mobilize, form communities, and campaign, particularly on political and social issues? 6.006 6.006

C Violations of User Rights

C1 1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
Do the constitution or other laws fail to protect rights such as freedom of expression, access to information, and press freedom, including on the internet, and are they enforced by a judiciary that lacks independence? 4.004 6.006
C2 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
Are there laws that assign criminal penalties or civil liability for online activities, particularly those that are protected under international human rights standards? 2.002 4.004
C3 1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
Are individuals penalized for online activities, particularly those that are protected under international human rights standards? 5.005 6.006

Score Change: The score improved from 4 to 5 because, unlike in the previous year, no internet users were held in prolonged pretrial detention during the coverage period.

C4 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
Does the government place restrictions on anonymous communication or encryption? 2.002 4.004
C5 1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
Does state surveillance of internet activities infringe on users’ right to privacy? 3.003 6.006
C6 1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
Does monitoring and collection of user data by service providers and other technology companies infringe on users’ right to privacy? 4.004 6.006
C7 1.00-5.00 pts0-5 pts
Are individuals subject to extralegal intimidation or physical violence by state authorities or any other actor in relation to their online activities? 3.003 5.005

Score Change: The score declined from 4 to 3 because state authorities and other actors engaged in heightened extralegal intimidation and physical violence in relation to online activities, including hacking attempts and threats against journalist Hugo Alconada Mon in response to his reporting.1

C8 1.00-3.00 pts0-3 pts
Are websites, governmental and private entities, service providers, or individual users subject to widespread hacking and other forms of cyberattack? 1.001 3.003

Score Change: The score declined from 2 to 1 because the websites of multiple news outlets were hacked during the coverage period.1

On Argentina

See all data, scores & information on this country or territory.

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Country Facts

  • Population

    46,230,000

  • Global Freedom Score

    85 100 free

  • Internet Freedom Score

    71 100 free

  • Freedom in the World Status

    Free

  • Networks Restricted

    No

  • Websites Blocked

    No

  • Pro-government Commentators

    Yes

  • Users Arrested

    No