Costa Rica
A Obstacles to Access | 20 25 |
B Limits on Content | 33 35 |
C Violations of User Rights | 34 40 |

Costa Rica has one of the world’s most open online environments. Internet access is generally robust, though socioeconomic and geographic divides persist. While users enjoy unfettered access to online content and their rights to free expression are largely protected, certain constituencies face online intimidation and harassment.
More generally, Costa Rica has a long history of democratic stability, with a multiparty political system and regular rotations of power through credible elections. Freedoms of expression and association are robust. The rule of law is strong, though presidents have often been implicated in corruption scandals, and prisons remain overcrowded. Among other ongoing concerns, the LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community and Indigenous people face discrimination, and land disputes involving Indigenous communities persist.
- During the coverage period, the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare Costa Rica’s digital divide, leading to criticism over the National Telecommunications Fund’s failure to provide universal access more than a decade after it was established (see A2).
- In June, the Constitutional Court ruled that an order requiring a newspaper to remove a photograph from its website was detrimental to freedom of information (see B2).
- An investigation into whether users’ privacy rights were violated by a presidential unit able to access confidential information from public institutions was ongoing during the coverage period (see C5).
- False and misleading information scapegoating Nicaraguan migrants for the COVID-19 pandemic circulated during the coverage period (see C7).
Do infrastructural limitations restrict access to the internet or the speed and quality of internet connections? | 4.004 6.006 |
Internet access in Costa Rica has been steadily increasing. As of January 2021, internet penetration had reached 81.2 percent, up from 11 percent the previous year.1 During the same period, there were 8.93 million mobile connections in the country, equivalent to 174.4 percent of the total population and a 4.5 percent increase from January 2020.2 Of these connections, 76 percent stood between third-generation (3G) and fifth-generation (5G) technology for mobile networks. 3G access is available in 95 percent of the country.3
According to the most recently available data from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in 2019 86.3 out of every 100 households had internet access at home, and 92.4 out of every 100 inhabitants had active mobile-broadband subscriptions.
According to Speedtest Global Index, the download speed of fixed broadband in June 2021, after the coverage period, was 51.04 megabits per second (Mbps) and 12.32 for upload. The same period showed the download speed of mobile connections at 33.15 Mbps and upload at 10.15 Mbps.4
According to the 2020 Mobile Connectivity Index, an annual index published by the GSM Association (GSMA) and made up of four subindicators relating to infrastructure, affordability, the consumer, and content and services, Costa Rica performs slightly better than the Latin America and Caribbean region, with a score of 63.3 out of a possible 100 points. Its infrastructure, referring to the availability of high-performance mobile internet network coverage, was rated at 56.7, slightly lower than the regional average of 60.76.5
In a February 2021 report, Costa Rica's Superintendency of Telecommunications (SUTEL) said the country's total fiber-optic infrastructure had expanded by 146.1 percent between June 2019 and June 2020, from roughly 78,400 kilometers to 193,000 kilometers (48,715 miles to 120,000 miles), and up from 68,200 kilometers (42,300 miles) in June 2018. Federico Chacón, president of SUTEL's board, attributed companies’ fiber-optic expansion to higher demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic.6
The public sector has also attempted to increase coverage. For example, in August 2020 kölbi, owned by the state-owned Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) telecommunications company, announced the expansion of its 4G network. Nearly 200 new cell sites were established in communities outside the capital with 3G and 4G available across almost the entire country.7 Other operators have advanced their implementation of 4G; for example, Movistar announced that it would convert to 4G LTE by the end of 2021.8 Since 2018, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications (MICITT) has incorporated 5G goals into its 2019–22 National Development and Public Investment Plan.9
While the country's connectivity infrastructure is generally efficient, several phenomena can affect infrastructure and connectivity. These include a rainy season from May to November, which brings flooding risks; and seismic movements, as the country is located in a subduction zone where three major tectonic plates interact.10 Hurricanes also bring flooding and can otherwise damage infrastructure.11
- 1Simon Kemp, “Digital 2021: Costa Rica,” DataReportal, February 11, 2021, https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2021-costa-rica
- 2Simon Kemp, “Digital 2020: Costa Rica,” DataReportal, February 17, 2020, https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2020-costa-rica?rq=costa%20rica
- 3Simon Kemp, “Digital 2020: Costa Rica,” DataReportal, February 17, 2020, https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2020-costa-rica?rq=costa%20rica
- 4Ookla, “Speedtest Global Index: Costa Rica June 2021,” accessed July 2021, https://www.speedtest.net/global-index/costa-rica.
- 5GSMA, “GSMA Mobile Connectivity Index,” 2020, https://www.mobileconnectivityindex.com/
- 6“SUTEL highlights Costa Rican fibre expansión,” Comms Update, February 19, 2021, https://www.commsupdate.com/articles/2021/02/19/SUTEL-highlights-costa-…
- 7“Kolbi extends 4G coverage to 98.1% of population,” Comms Update, 26 August, 2020, https://www.commsupdate.com/articles/2020/08/26/kolbi-extends-4g-covera…
- 8Johnny Castro, “El 100% de la red de Movistar Costa Rica será 4G LTE al finalizar este año,” La República, March 2, 2021, https://www.larepublica.net/noticia/el-100-de-la-red-de-movistar-costa-…
- 9Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Telecomunicaciones, “Ruta 5G El camino de Costa Rica hacia las redes IMT-2020,” 2020, https://www.micit.go.cr/sites/default/files/la_ruta_5g_el_camino_de_cos…
- 10Univesidad de Costa Rica, “¿Por qué tiembla tanto en Costa Rica?” May 12, 2015, https://rsn.ucr.ac.cr/documentos/educativos/sismologia/4135-por-que-tie…
- 11“Tormenta Nate es el desastre natural que dejó las reparaciones más costosas del país,” La Nación, June 1, 2021, https://www.nacion.com/sucesos/desastres/cne-tormenta-nate-es-el-desast…
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 |
While Costa Rica has recognized internet access as a fundamental right since 2010, disparities persist. Barriers are in part geographic, with access costing more in rural areas than in urban ones relative to income.1 Low-cost carriers also offer slower service. The government has several active initiatives to expand access, but the National Telecommunications Fund (FONATEL), which spearheads many of them, has faced occasional criticism for aspects of its operations.
As of March 2021, 1 GB of mobile service cost on average 1,444.44 Costa Rican colones ($2.36) per month—among the most affordable in low- and middle- income countries in the Americas.2 The cheapest price for 1GB of mobile service was 980 colones ($1.60), while the most expensive cost 1,800 colones ($2.94).3 The average monthly income per household is 891,934 colones ($1,440),4 though there is a disparity between urban and rural areas: the average monthly household income in urban areas is 1,431,291 colones ($2,310), while in rural areas it is 283,552 colones ($458). Cheaper prepaid plans, constituting 66.6 percent of mobile plans, are conditioned with restrictions like lower network performance.5
SUTEL publishes tariff rates, which correspond to the maximum rates that can be charged for telecommunication services. 1 GB of prepaid mobile internet is 8,160.43 colones ($13.17); postpaid mobile internet with 128/64 kbps bandwidth is $15 monthly.6
In contrast to mobile service, the average monthly cost of fixed-line broadband is higher than many other Latin American countries, at $42.43 per month in 2021.7
Costa Rica has local and regional internet providers, which in many cases are rural electrification cooperatives, such as Coopelesca in the northern region and Coopeguanacaste in the Chorotega region. This model has diversified and democratized access to fixed internet at home from territories outside the central valley.8 FONATEL, which is administered by SUTEL, promotes universal access, aiming to expand coverage to areas and communities that lack service. FONATEL provides free internet services to Basic Integrated Health Care Teams (EBAIS), intelligent community centers (CECI), schools, and public colleges.9 FONATEL also provides connectivity for various vulnerable populations, with efforts funded by concessions from telecommunications companies.10
Costa Rica has made proactive and successful efforts to reduce a gendered digital divide, according to the Alliance for Affordable Internet. For example, women's access is included in the National Telecommunications Development Plan 2015–21, which among other initiatives subsidizes internet connection for women entrepreneurs.11
FONATEL’s Connected Public Spaces is another initiative to reduce the digital divide. The program seeks to bring free, high-speed internet to public spaces throughout the country, including parks, squares, public libraries, train stations, and civic centers. This is a long-term program, with a comprehensive sustainability model that includes the development of telecommunications infrastructure (broadband), and promoting digital literacy.12 As of March 2021, 2,175 kilometers of fiber optic cable have connected 417 parks and squares, 61 public libraries, 28 train stations, and seven civic centers.13 However, in June 2020 FONATEL faced criticism after it emerged that some of the funds earmarked for expanding access would be used to make up for deficits generated by the telecommunications sector. The minister of science, technology and telecommunications, Luis Adrian Salazar, resigned in protest of the plan.14
Some local analysts questioned FONATEL’s competency amid the COVID-19 pandemic, asking why despite having set aside funding for expanded access, some plans still lagged behind amid a crisis that resulted in increased demand for online services.15
- 1De las distintas sentencias en las que la Sala Constitucional se ha ocupado del tema destacan dos resoluciones, ambas del año 2010, (Nos. 10227 y 12790) en las que el órgano jurisdiccional reconoce el acceso a Internet como un derecho fundamental tutelado.
- 2Alliance for Affordable Internet, “2020 Affordability Report,” 2020, https://a4ai.org/affordability-report/report/2020/
- 3Cable.co.uk, “Worldwide Mobile Data Pricing 2021,” April 6, 2021, https://www.cable.co.uk/mobiles/worldwide-data-pricing/
- 4INEC, 2020. Encuesta Nacional de Hogares (ENAHO). 2020. Household income Cuadros 1 y 3, July 2019 and July 2020. Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos, Costa Rica.
- 5Estadísticas del Sector de Telecomunicaciones 2020, SUTEL, 2021, https://www.sutel.go.cr/sites/default/files/sutel_informe_estadistico_2….
- 6SUTEL, “Consulte aquí las tarifas vigentes,” accessed on July 21, 2021, https://SUTEL.go.cr/pagina/consulte-aqui-las-tarifas-vigentes
- 7“The Price of fixed-line broadband in 211 countries 2021,” Cable.co.uk, accessed on August 3, 2021, https://www.cable.co.uk/broadband/pricing/worldwide-comparison/
- 8Conelectricas. (2016). National Consortium of Electrification Companies of Costa Rica. http://www.conelectricas.com/.
- 9The Alliance for Affordable Internet, “Gender & Access Affordability Report Thematic Brief,” 2020, https://1e8q3q16vyc81g8l3h3md6q5f5e-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/…
- 10Rodriguez, S. (2020, junio 1). Cámara de Telecomunicaciones: fondos de Fonatel no se deben usar para temas fiscales. AmeliaRueda.com. https://www.ameliarueda.com/nota/camara-de-telecomunicaciones-fondos-fo…
- 11The Alliance for Affordable Internet, “Gender & Access Affordability Report Thematic Brief,” 2020, https://1e8q3q16vyc81g8l3h3md6q5f5e-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/…
- 12ITU Digital Inclusion Division, “Costa Rica to provide free Internet in bid to reduce the country’s digital divide,” February 8, 2019, http://digitalinclusionnewslog.itu.int/2019/02/08/costa-rica-to-provide…
- 13Johnny Castro, “Concluyó instalación de 513 accesos públicos a Internet financiados con recursos de Fonatel,” La Republica, March 2, 2021, https://www.larepublica.net/noticia/concluyo-instalacion-de-513-accesos…; Johnny Castro, “Costa Rica gana premio internacional con Espacios Públicos Conectados de Fonatel,” La República, October 29, 2020, https://www.larepublica.net/noticia/costa-rica-gana-premio-internaciona…
- 14Sebastian Rodriguez, “Cámara de Telecomunicaciones: fondos de Fonatel no se deben usar para temas fiscales,” AmeliaRueda.com, June 1, 2020, https://www.ameliarueda.com/nota/camara-de-telecomunicaciones-fondos-fo…
- 15Fabiola Pomareda García, “Millonario fondo para aumentar el acceso a Internet, ¿es Fonatel un modelo fallido?” Semanario Universidad, August 5, 2020, https://semanariouniversidad.com/pais/millonario-fondo-para-aumentar-el…
Does the government exercise technical or legal control over internet infrastructure for the purposes of restricting connectivity? | 6.006 6.006 |
There are no government-imposed connectivity restrictions in Costa Rica.1
Three fiber-optic submarine cables connect the country to the global network. Since April 2014, Costa Rica has had an internet exchange point (IXP) called CRIX, operated by the Network Information Center Costa Rica (NIC-CR). The body is an independent department of the National Academy of Sciences that has been declared a project of public interest by the government through the MICITT.2
- 1The Alliance for Affordable Internet, “Gender & Access Affordability Report Thematic Brief,” 2020, https://1e8q3q16vyc81g8l3h3md6q5f5e-wpengi ne.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/AR20-Gender-Sub-Report.pdf;
- 2Karine Perset, “Digital Economy Policy in Costa Rica,” OECD, February 2020, https://www.oecd.org/countries/costarica/digital-economy-policy-in-cost…
Are there legal, regulatory, or economic obstacles that restrict the diversity of service providers? | 4.004 6.006 |
Until 2008 ICE held a state monopoly on telecommunications, but Costa Rica has since encouraged private investment.1 The National Telecommunications Development Plan 2015–21 outlines the current policy for the sector, while SUTEL promotes competition and seeks to ensure that operators and providers can compete without major barriers or market manipulation or discrimination.2
According to SUTEL, ICE captured just over half of all mobile subscribers in 2019, under kölbi. Telefónica Movistar had around 30 percent of users, followed by Claro de América Móvil at about 19 percent. ICE also led the market share for fixed internet in 2019, with 33.5 percent. Cabletica had 21.8 percent, Millicom and Telecable Económico had around 19 percent each, and others made up the remaining share.3 In August 2020, the regional telecommunications company Liberty Latin America (LLA) acquired Telefónica Costa Rica (Movistar) for $500 million.4 . In May 2021, SUTEL approved the purchase by Cabletica, through LLA, its parent company, of 100 percent of Telefónica Costa Rica’s operations.5
There are a number of requirements to establish and operate telecom services. All applications for frequency use must be submitted to the MICITT. Frequency concessions for public telecommunications network operations are determined in public contest procedures.6
SUTEL has clearly defined procedures, established in article 63 of Law No. 8642, for setting the fees telecommunication companies must pay for use of the radioelectric spectrum.7
According to the Regulations to the General Telecommunications Law No. 34765-MINAE, article 77 establishes the rights of way and shared use of physical infrastructure, whereby the public telecommunications infrastructure, which is the responsibility of ICE, should be shared with private operators.8
- 1Karine Perset, “Digital Economy Policy in Costa Rica,” OECD, February 2020, https://www.oecd.org/countries/costarica/digital-economy-policy-in-cost…
- 2Karine Perset, “Digital Economy Policy in Costa Rica,” OECD, February 2020, https://www.oecd.org/countries/costarica/digital-economy-policy-in-cost…
- 3“Bajo la lupa: el mercado de telecomunicaciones de Costa Rica, [Spotlight: Costa Rica’s telecommunications market],” bnamericas, November 18, 2020, https://www.bnamericas.com/es/reportajes/bajo-la-lupa-el-mercado-de-tel…
- 4“Liberty Latin America rights offering generates USD350m,” Comms Update, September 29, 2020, https://www.commsupdate.com/articles/2020/09/29/liberty-latin-america-r…
- 5Johnny Castro, “SUTEL autorizó concentración de Movistar Costa Rica y Cabletica,” La República, May 28, 2021, https://www.larepublica.net/noticia/SUTEL-autorizo-concentracion-de-mov…
- 6SUTEL, “Solicitud uso frecuencias,” 2021, https://www.SUTEL.go.cr/pagina/solicitud-uso-frecuencias
- 7SUTEL, “Procedimiento para el cálculo del canon de reserva del Espectro Radioeléctrico,” October 20, 2016, http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_comple…
- 8SUTEL, “Regulations to the General Telecommunications Law, Pub. L. No. 34765-MINAE,” 22 September, 2008, http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_comple…
Do national regulatory bodies that oversee service providers and digital technology fail to operate in a free, fair, and independent manner? | 4.004 4.004 |
Regulatory bodies are generally independent. The MICITT is composed of the Vice-Ministry of Science and Technology, focusing on promoting research, the use of digital technologies, and the application of innovation in processes between the academic, governmental, and business sectors; and the Vice-Ministry of Telecommunications, responsible for proposing telecommunications policies and the country's digital agenda. The Vice-Ministry of Telecommunications also manages the use of the radio spectrum and coordinates the preparation of the National Telecommunications Development Plan. The telecommunications vice-ministry works on this with other public institutions, SUTEL, and public and private operators.1
SUTEL is responsible for regulating, supervising, enforcing, and controlling the telecommunications regulatory framework, and supports the MICITT by proposing policy development. It also administers FONATEL—the fund tasked with expanding internet access—and ensures that network operators and telecommunications service providers comply with universal access and service obligations. It is further responsible for imposing sanctions for anticompetitive practices, but such actions also require affirmative opinions from the Commission for the Promotion of Competition (COPROCOM), which reports to the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce, at the start of the assessment process and again before sanctions are issued.2
The MICITT, though, can separate itself from SUTEL’s technical criteria; for example, it declined to accept a 2014 spectrum concentration measurement proposed by SUTEL.3 Thus, there is room to consolidate SUTEL’s independent and technical role.
Costa Rican authorities support a multistakeholder internet governance model. Proposed policies, as well as aspects of policy implementation, are discussed with private and public stakeholders and in public consultation processes that civil society groups participate in.4 Economic and social benefits are key goals in the National Telecommunications Development Plan 2015–21, and digital economy policies emphasize the constitutional right to freedom of expression.5
Although telecommunications regulatory bodies in Costa Rica are generally autonomous, stakeholders have expressed concern over “revolving-door” politics in which former senior government officials have participated in government forums as representatives of private businesses.6
- 1Sulá Batsú, “Examinando los Derechos y las libertades en Internet en Latinoamérica (EXLILA): Informe nacional Costa Rica,” Asociación para el Progreso de las Comunicaciones (APC), 2016, https://www.apc.org/sites/default/files/EXLILA_informe%20nacional%20Cos…
- 2Karine Perset, “Digital Economy Policy in Costa Rica,” OECD, February 2020, https://www.oecd.org/countries/costarica/digital-economy-policy-in-cost…
- 3“Analysis of the concentration spectrum concentration for analog television in Costa Rica,” Directorate of Radio Spectrum and Telecommunications Networks (MICITT), June 2014.
- 4Karine Perset, “Digital Economy Policy in Costa Rica,” OECD, February 2020, https://www.oecd.org/countries/costarica/digital-economy-policy-in-cost…
- 5Karine Perset, “Digital Economy Policy in Costa Rica,” OECD, February 2020, https://www.oecd.org/countries/costarica/digital-economy-policy-in-cost…
- 6Red de Medios e Iniciativas de Comunicación Alternativa (RedMICA), “#Denuncia: ¡Queda claro una vez más el cruce de intereses entre las cámaras empresariales y el MICITT!” April 23, 2021, https://www.facebook.com/redmica/photos/a.190357247706303/5273764506032…
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? | 6.006 6.006 |
There are no reports of the government or other actors blocking or filtering online content. In recent years, taxi drivers have pressured the government to block the transportation mobile applications Uber, DiDi, and inDriver, but have not been successful, in part because there is no regulation authorizing such action in Costa Rican law.1
- 1En el mes de marzo de 2021 el Consejo de Transporte Público, órgano adscrito al Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes, solicitó a la Procuraduría General de la República que iniciara gestiones ante el órgano regulador la Superintendencia General de Telecomunicaciones (SUTEL) para bloquear las aplicaciones de Uber, In Driver y Didi en Costa Rica https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/servicios/ctp-pide-demandar-y-bloquear-a…. La solicitud fue considerada como improcedente por la Comisión de Promoción de la Competencia y la Presidencia de la República. https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/servicios/coprocom-se-opone-a-bloquear-a…; https://www.ameliarueda.com/nota/demandar-bloquear-uber-didi-indriver-d….
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 |
The state does not intervene to remove content, except when ordered by a court or under exceptional conditions, such as to remove child sexual abuse images. Costa Rican regulations limit the liability of service providers.1
In recent years, the legal protection of personal data, particularly the right to be forgotten, has forced some outlets to remove content from their digital platforms. The Data Protection Agency (PRODHAB)’s powers to order the removal of content in the media, though, has been ruled unconstitutional. In June 2020, the Constitutional Court struck down a 2015 resolution by PRODHAB ordering the newspaper Diario Extra to remove a photograph depicting the passport of someone who accused the border police of abuses. The court said the ruling was detrimental to freedom of information, as the photograph was in the public interest, and that the individual’s consent was not required. The Court reasoned that PRODHAB cannot use its power to enforce the Law for the Protection of the Person against the Processing of Personal Data, because this would be indirect state censorship.2
Between July and December 2020, Facebook restricted 144 posts. Most were connected to consumer policy, at the request of the Ministry of Health, but a dozen restrictions were linked to an order from the Brazilian Supreme Court to restrict global access to content related to supporters of Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro.3 Twitter reported no removal requests during the same period.4
Six percent of media outlets surveyed by the University of Costa Rica’s Program for Freedom of Expression, Right to Information and Public Opinion (PROLEDI) and the Research Center in Communication (CICOM) for their 2020 freedom of expression report said that they had removed comments critical of media and political figures.5
- 1Decreto Ejecutivo No. 36880 de 18 de octubre de 2011-Reglamento sobre la limitación a la responsabilidad de los proveedores de servicios por infracciones a Derechos de Autor y Conexos de Acuerdo con el Artículo 15.11.27 del Tratado de Libre Comercio República Dominicana-Centroamérica- Estados Unidos
- 2Sala Constitucional de Costa Rica. Resolución No. 10961-2020 de 10:05 horas del 16 de junio de 2020; En defensa de la libertad de prensa, Sala Constitucional condena a oficina estatal por ordenarle a diario eliminar fotografía [In defense of press freedom, the Constitutional Court condemns a state office for ordering a newspaper to remove a photograph], Sala Constucional, June 17, 2020, https://salaconstitucional.poder-judicial.go.cr/index.php/component/con….
- 3Facebook Transparency Center, “Costa Rica,” 2020, https://transparency.facebook.com/content-restrictions/country/CR
- 4Twitter Transparency, “Removal Requests,” July 14, 2021, https://transparency.twitter.com/en/reports/removal-requests.html#2020-….
- 5Proledi, “Il Informe Del Estado De La Libertad De Expresión En Costa Rica,” April 2020, http://proledi.ucr.ac.cr/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/II-Informe-del-Esta…
Do restrictions on the internet and digital content lack transparency, proportionality to the stated aims, or an independent appeals process? | 4.004 4.004 |
Content restrictions are derived from specific laws protecting the right to honor, privacy, and the protection of personal data, as well as the protection of minors. The 2011 Law on the Protection of Children and Adolescents from Harmful Content on the Internet, for example, limits the access of this population to content considered harmful to their moral or psychological integrity. Content can only be removed by court order.
In line with the Dominican Republic–Central America–United States Free Trade Agreement, Costa Rica has established an intermediary liability system for copyright infringement. Users who believe their rights have been violated should communicate, in writing, to the service provider, which has 15 days to take down the content if the request is legitimate. Takedowns can also occur through a judicial order. The system is relatively balanced, as it aims to limit the burden placed on service providers and mitigate harms against rights holders. However, it has also been criticized for ambiguity, as the limited intermediary liability applies to service providers who voluntarily abide by the rules. 1
The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice has ruled that public entities who communicate using institutional accounts on social media cannot block other users who direct criticism to those accounts.2 The Constitutional Court ruled that in an open and democratic society, freedom of expression includes criticism of the conduct or operation of public bodies.
Regarding technical blocking, the Law for the Protection of Children and Adolescents from Harmful Content on the Internet obliges service providers to apply filters for certain harmful content, such as child sexual abuse images. 3
- 1“Responsablidad de intermediarios por infracciones a los derechos de autor en Chile, Paraguay y Costa Rica: Un análisis desde la libertad de expression [Intermediary liability for copyright infringement in Chile, Paraguay and Costa Rica: An analysis based on the right to freedom of speech],” Revista Chilena de Derecho y Tecnologia, 2016, https://rchdt.uchile.cl/index.php/RCHDT/article/view/41782/44144.
- 2En varias sentencias relevantes, entre otras las Nos. 16882-2012, 5803-2013 y 1988-2015 la Sala Constitucional se ha manifestado sobre el ejercicio de la libertad de expresión en Internet. En estos recursos de amparo el órgano jurisdiccional conoce del bloqueo a los amparados de las cuentas institucionales de Twitter por parte de la Presidencia de la República y de Facebook, por parte de la Municipalidad de Talamanca y de la Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social. Para la Sala el espacio digital. One of the cases might be here: https://nexuspj.poder-judicial.go.cr/document/sen-1-0007-563690
- 3Cooperativa Sulá Batsú, “Examinando los Derechos y las libertades en Internet en Latinoamérica (EXLILA): Informe nacional Costa Rica,” Asociación para el Progreso de las Comunicaciones (APC), 2016, https://www.apc.org/sites/default/files/EXLILA_informe%20nacional%20Cos…
Do online journalists, commentators, and ordinary users practice self-censorship? | 4.004 4.004 |
Self-censorship online is not widespread. However, almost 30 percent of the journalists consulted for a 2020 freedom of expression report by PROLEDI and CICOM stated that they had self-censored during the last year for fear of punishment, harassment, or attacks. When asked from which sectors these threats come from, several said political groups. The questionnaire was given to 161 media outlets, 18 of them digital.1
- 1Proledi, “Il Informe Del Estado De La Libertad De Expresión En Costa Rica,” April 2020, http://proledi.ucr.ac.cr/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/II-Informe-del-Esta…
Are online sources of information controlled or manipulated by the government or other powerful actors to advance a particular political interest? | 3.003 4.004 |
The government does not control or manipulate online information sources.1 However, a January 2021 report by the University of Oxford and Oxford Internet Institute Programme on Democracy & Technology found that the 2018 election featured “cyber troops” who used social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter, to disseminate false or misleading information about topics like corruption, government initiatives, immigration, and abortion. Figures linked to the religious National Restoration Party (PRN), including its presidential candidate, spread six misleading polls before the run-off with millions of cell phone users, whose information was gathered illegally. Such campaigns continued after the election; one connected to the religious New Republic party falsely stated that the government was raising the VAT tax. Such distorted information is not typically spread through automated accounts.
In response, the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) has aimed to improve digital literacy and communication, while the University of Costa Rica established a fact-checking initiative called Double Check.2
- 1In exercising the freedom to inform, journalists and representatives from the media and communication sectors have sought, on many occasions, protections for the right of access to public information by appealing to the Constitutional Chamber. A large number of votes contribute to the development of the legal nature, scope, and guarantees for access to public information, in addition to broadening the conditions for the democratic exercise of freedom of the press. The Constitutional Court has also tackled, among other issues, access to open data, legislative information, registration of the actions of police forces, and the right of access to public information in the context of the health emergency.
- 2University of Oxford and Oxford Internet Institute Programme on Democracy & Technology, “Global Cyber Troops Country Profile: Costa Rica,” January 2021, https://demtech.oii.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/127/2021/01/Cyber….
Are there economic or regulatory constraints that negatively affect users’ ability to publish content online? | 3.003 3.003 |
There are few economic, regulatory, or other constraints to users’ ability to express themselves or share information online. However, a 2018 PROLEDI and CICOM report found that journalists who see limits to diversity and pluralism online raise as problems the use of state advertising, financial sustainability, and the absence of public policies to promote pluralism and diversity (see B7).1 Many media outlets rely heavily on advertising to operate, with most supported by commercial advertising (78 percent), followed by state advertising (43 percent), and small donations or crowdfunding (16 percent). High concentration has also led to a small group of outlets, largely television and radio, receiving most state advertising.2
Costa Rica has not yet developed rules and regulations directly addressing net neutrality, but authorities have indicated support for the principle. The Law for the Strengthening and Modernization of Government Institutions in the Telecommunications Sector (Law No. 8660) of 2008 obliges operators to provide open access to networks and services (Article 75), and promotes transparent and nondiscriminatory investment in the telecommunications sector.3
- 1Proledi, “I Informe sobre el Estado de la Libertad de Expresión en Costa Rica, August 2018, http://proledi.ucr.ac.cr/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/I-Informe-del-Estad…
- 2Proledi, “Il Informe Del Estado De La Libertad De Expresión En Costa Rica,” April 2020, http://proledi.ucr.ac.cr/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/II-Informe-del-Esta….
- 3Karine Perset, “Digital Economy Policy in Costa Rica,” OECD, February 2020, https://www.oecd.org/countries/costarica/digital-economy-policy-in-cost…
Does the online information landscape lack diversity and reliability? | 4.004 4.004 |
Costa Rica’s online information landscape is relatively diverse and reliable. According to a 2018 report from PROLEDI and CICOM, a slim majority (47.4 percent) of those who practice journalism on digital platforms believe that there are expressions of diversity and pluralism of information on the network.1 A 2020 report by the same organizations found that media outlets, including digital, are concentrated near the capital, and that 25 of Costa Rica’s 82 cantons have no dedicated media outlets. Ten percent of surveyed outlets use Indigenous languages; 33 percent surveyed said they had LGBT+ staff, 30 percent employed migrants and refugees, 20 percent employed Costa Ricans of African descent, and 14 percent had Indigenous employees, though gaps persisted between staff and managerial levels. There is also evidence of a gender gap.2
A 2018 report by Latinobarómetro declared Costa Rica the regional leader in the use of social media.3
- 1Proledi, “I Informe sobre el Estado de la Libertad de Expresión en Costa Rica, August 2018, http://proledi.ucr.ac.cr/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/I-Informe-del-Estad…
- 2Proledi, “Il Informe Del Estado De La Libertad De Expresión En Costa Rica,” April 2020, http://proledi.ucr.ac.cr/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/II-Informe-del-Esta…
- 3Latinobarometro, Informe Latinobarometro 2018, November 2018, https://www.latinobarometro.org/latNewsShowMore.jsp?evYEAR=2018&evMONTH…
Do conditions impede users’ ability to mobilize, form communities, and campaign, particularly on political and social issues? | 6.006 6.006 |
Digital tools are used for political and social activism. Social media is notably used to organize movements, share information, and collect evidence for legal challenges. Woman activists have created social media campaigns to protest issues including pineapple plantations’ land use, and pollution. However, many of these activists have received threats in response to their activities.1
- 1Irene Poetranto, "Threats Facing Women Activists in Colombia and Costa Rica," The Citizen Lab, August 26, 2020, https://citizenlab.ca/2020/08/threats-facing-women-activists-in-colombi…
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? | 6.006 6.006 |
The Costa Rican constitution protects freedom of expression, access to information, and freedom of the press. Article 28 states that no one may be persecuted for the expression of their opinion or for any act that does not violate the law.1 Similarly, article 29 states that everyone may communicate in writing and publish without prior censorship, though individuals also assume responsibility if they break laws while exercising these rights.2
The judiciary is largely independent and protects freedom of speech and of the press.3
While Costa Rica lacks specific legislation on freedom of expression online, it is considered in other legislation and judicial decisions. In several rulings, the Constitutional Chamber has referenced the exercise of freedom of expression online, taking as a basis articles 28 and 29 of the constitution, as well as various treaties signed by the country.4 Limits have also been established; for example, the Code of Children and Adolescents allows for some restrictions to freedom of expression online to protect the rights of children.5
Between 2012 and 2015, the Constitutional Chamber has issued rulings that prevent state authorities operating institutional social media (for example, the Communication Ministry’s Facebook page) accounts from blocking users, arguing that criticism of the government is encompassed in the right to free expression, and that such freedom is extended to the use of social networks and information and communication technologies. 6
Although Costa Rica does not have a law on access to public information, there is a vast jurisprudence of the Constitutional Chamber that guarantees this right to all citizens.7 The court has upheld the obligation of public administrations to provide “open data” that may be freely used and distributed.8 The country has also had an open government and open data policy since 2015, which promotes access to information, citizen participation, and the principles of transparency and government accountability.9
- 1Republic of Costa Rica, “Constitución Política de la República de Costa Rica,” 1948, https://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_compl…
- 2Republic of Costa Rica, “Constitución Política de la República de Costa Rica,” 1948, https://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_compl…
- 3Programa Estado de la Nación, “Tercer Informe del Estado de la Justicia,” 2020, https://estadonacion.or.cr/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/PEN_Estado_Justic… ; Freedom House, “Freedom in the World 2021: Costa Rica,” 2021, https://freedomhouse.org/country/costa-rica/freedom-world/2021
- 4“Sala Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia de Costa Rica: Resolución N° 2012-016882,” Sala Constitutional, 2012 // Sala Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia de Costa Rica, “Resolución N°16882-2012,” 2012, https://nexuspj.poder-judicial.go.cr/document/sen-1-0007-563690
- 5Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica, “Ley 7339 Código de la Niñez y la Adolescencia, Publicada en el Diario Oficial La Gaceta 26 del 6 de febrero de 1998,” June 1, 1998, http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_norma.aspx?p…
- 6Sala Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia de Costa Rica, “Resolución N°16882-2012,” 2012, https://nexuspj.poder-judicial.go.cr/document/sen-1-0007-563690; Sala Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia de Costa Rica, “Resolucion N° 5803-2013,”; Sala Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia de Costa Rica, “Resolución N° 1988-2025,” 2015
- 7In exercising the freedom to inform, journalists and representatives from the media and communication sectors have sought, on many occasions, protections for the right of access to public information by appealing to the Constitutional Chamber. A large number of votes contribute to the development of the legal nature, scope, and guarantees for access to public information, in addition to broadening the conditions for the democratic exercise of freedom of the press. The Constitutional Court has also tackled, among other issues, access to open data, legislative information, registration of the actions of police forces, and the right of access to public information in the context of the health emergency.
- 8Sala Constitucional de Costa Rica, Resolución No. 15104-2018 de las 9:20 horas del 14 de setiembre de 2018. Se trata de un recurso de amparo interpuesto por periodistas del Semanario Universidad, quienes solicitaron información al Instituto Meteorológico sobre cambio climático en formato editable y sin contraseña, y les fue negada.
- 9Decretos Ejecutivos No. 38994, de 29 de abril de 2015 y No. 40199 de 27 de abril de 2017
Are there laws that assign criminal penalties or civil liability for online activities, particularly those that are protected under international human rights standards? | 3.003 4.004 |
There are no specific laws establishing criminal or civil sanctions for online activities. However, crimes against honor such as slander and libel are defined as criminal offenses, both in the penal code1 and in the Printing Press Law.2
Article 145 of the penal code criminalizes insults, and article 146 defamation. Under article 147, falsely accusing someone of a crime is punishable by a fine of 150 days’ wages. Article 148 criminalizes harm to the reputation of a dead person via injurious or defamatory statements. The Printing Press Law contains similar provisions for media.3 Various political actors have pointed out that these provisions could be used to file criminal charges for statements made online by the press or by users denouncing issues like corruption, environmental degradation, and other concerns.4
While there is no legislation against fake news or disinformation, two initiatives have been put forward. A law on the protection of honor in the face of abuse on social networks was introduced in 2018 by the ultraconservative New Republic party.5 It seeks to increase penalties when an offense is committed in public or on "any social network or technological tool of mass dissemination."6 In addition, Erwen Masís, a Social Christian Unity Party lawmaker, introduced a cybercrime bill in 2018 that would punish the dissemination of false news capable of distorting or damaging the financial system, or of affecting the decisions of the electorate, with one to four years in prison.7 Both initiatives have been criticized by organizations focused on freedom of expression, and neither had advanced in the legislature by the end of the coverage period.8
- 1Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica, “Ley 4573 Código Penal de Costa Rica (1970). Publicado en el Diario Oficial La Gaceta 257 del 15 de noviembre de 1970,” November 15, 1970, http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_norma.aspx?p…
- 2Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica, “Ley 32. Ley de Imprenta de Costa Rica (1902),” 1902, http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_comple…
- 3CPJ, “Criminal Defamation Laws in Central America,” March 2016, https://cpj.org/reports/2016/03/central-america/
- 4Fernanda Romero, “Frente Amplio propone convertir delitos contra el honor en faltas civiles,” Monumental, February 23, 2021, https://www.monumental.co.cr/2021/02/23/frente-amplio-propone-convertir…
- 5Josué Alfaro, “Iniciativa de Jonathan Prendas buscará castigar penalmente insultos en redes sociales,” Semanario Universidad, June 18, 2018, https://semanariouniversidad.com/ultima-hora/iniciativa-de-jonathan-pre…
- 6Aarón Sequeira, “Diputado de Restauración propone penas más duras por insultos en redes sociales,” La Nación, June 18, 2018, https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/politica/diputado-de-restauracion-propon…
- 7Paula Ruiz, “capaz de distorsionar o causar perjuicio al sistema financiero o afectar las decisiones del electorado en diferentes tipos de procesos eleccionario,” CRHoy, January 6, 2019, https://www.crhoy.com/nacionales/producir-y-difundir-fake-news-podria-l…
- 8“Penalización de la crítica política, los discursos de odio y las noticias falsas. Riesgos para la libertad de expresión,” Voz Experta, Noember 3, 2020, https://www.ucr.ac.cr/noticias/2020/11/03/voz-experta-penalizacion-de-l…
Are individuals penalized for online activities, particularly those that are protected under international human rights standards? | 6.006 6.006 |
There are no reports of individuals being penalized for online activities protected by international human rights standards. Recent reports of users who have been arrested or prosecuted are related to cases where the internet is used for illegal activities like extorting public figures, sharing revenge porn,1 and disseminating child sexual abuse images.2
- 1“Hombre intervino redes sociales y correos electrónicos de mujer para extorsionarla con fotos íntimas,” La Nación, October 13, 2020, https://www.nacion.com/sucesos/crimenes/hombre-intervino-redes-sociales…; “Banda utilizaba redes sociales para secuestrar y extorsionar empresarios,” Noticias Repretel, September 8, 2019, https://www.repretel.com/noticia/banda-utilizaba-redes-sociales-para-se…
- 2Luis Jiménez, “Jóvenes detenidos por difundir pornografía infantil en redes sociales,” Teletica, November 11, 2020, https://www.teletica.com/sucesos/jovenes-detenidos-por-difundir-pornogr…
Does the government place restrictions on anonymous communication or encryption? | 3.003 4.004 |
There are no reports of restrictions on anonymous or encrypted communications. SIM card registration is mandatory, though a data-privacy framework is in place.1
- 1“Timeline of SIM Card Registration Laws,” Privacy International, June 11, 2019, https://privacyinternational.org/long-read/3018/timeline-sim-card-regis…; GSMA, “Access to Mobile Services and Proof of Identity 2020: The Undisputed Linkages,” March 2020, https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Ac…
Does state surveillance of internet activities infringe on users’ right to privacy? | 5.005 6.006 |
The rights to privacy, intimacy, freedom, and secrecy in communications are enshrined in the constitution and are applicable to online activities. Article 24 of the Constitution establishes that private documents and written, oral, and others type of communications are inviolable, and that exceptions require special laws approved by a qualified majority of the parliament.1 These provisions have been reinforced by the Constitutional Chamber.2
SUTEL and PRODHAB are legally empowered to protect the rights of users but only do so upon request of a user, rather than proactively.3
The government is not known to collect communications metadata, intercept private communications, or monitor journalists, political figures, or human rights defenders, nor does it appear to have the technical capacity.4 However, controversy over possible government surveillance arose in February 2020, when the media reported on the recent publication of an executive decree creating a Presidential Data Analysis Unit (UPAD) attached to the office of the president of the republic. UPAD was given the power to access "confidential information held by public institutions when required.”5 The decree was repealed soon after it was made public in the media,6 but it led to a political crisis that resulted in the resignation of the minister of the presidency,7 criminal charges against the president,8 the dismissal of the advisers involved in drafting the decree,9 the installation of a legislative commission in parliament to investigate whether President Alvarado violated people’s right to privacy with the UPAD,10 and the raid of the presidential residence, ordered by the attorney general's office.11
This crisis also generated public debate on the use of personal data for the creation of public policy and solutions to national problems,12 as well as criticism from specialists and political actors on the alleged irregular use and access by UPAD's advisors to databases with sensitive personal information.13 At the end of the coverage period, accusations of irregular access to sensitive information by the government have not been corroborated, and the legal cases against the president are still open. Meanwhile, questions have been raised about the president’s right to privacy, in light of leaks related to the controversy 14 and reports that an opposition lawmaker was in possession of the password of the president's cell phone.15
In June 2021, after the coverage period, a new COVID-19 exposure notification system was automatically installed on users’ phones. Apple users were notified and given the choice to opt in or out. Android users saw the system as a new app before the government had announced the initiative, though still needed to activate it to opt in. However, the incident led to accusations of government surveillance.16
- 1Republic of Costa Rica, “Constitución Política de la República de Costa Rica,” 1948, https://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_compl…
- 2Para más información, ver las siguientes resoluciones de la Sala Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia de Costa Rica: 2012-3998, 2012-4180, 2014-10102, 2014-4037, 2015-007357, 2015-005320, 2015-004349, 2017-004802
- 3Ley General de Telecomunicaciones y Ley de Protección de la persona frente al tratamiento de sus datos personales.
- 4Renata Avila, “Mapa de Actores y Temas emergentes sobre la Libertad de Internet en Centroamérica,” January 2018, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1appjobUn_7fw1pHqFnof76Xr3FcSD2UQ/view
- 5Republic of Costa Rica, “Decreto Ejecutivo Nº 41996-MP-MIDEPLAN del 14 de octubre de 2019. Publicado en el Diario Oficial La Gaceta 31 del 17 de febrero de 2020. Derogado por el artículo 1 del decreto ejecutivo N° 42216 del 21 de febrero de 2020,” accessed on August 6, 2021, http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_comple…; "After public criticism, Costa Rican gov. repeals decree that created department with access to ‘confidential’ information," The Tico Times, February 21, 2020, https://ticotimes.net/2020/02/21/after-public-criticism-costa-rican-gov…
- 6Fiorella Sánchez, “Gobierno deroga controversial decreto minutos después que ministra de Comunicación salió a defenderlo,” El Mundo, February 21, 2020, https://www.elmundo.cr/costa-rica/gobierno-deroga-controversial-decreto…; "President Alvarado testifies in response to data-collection controversy," The Tico Times, February 10, 2021, https://ticotimes.net/2021/02/10/president-alvarado-testifies-in-respon…
- 7Josué Bravo, “Víctor Morales renuncia al cargo de ministro de la Presidencia por decreto de UPAD,” La Nación, March 4, 2020, https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/politica/victor-morales-renuncia-al-carg…
- 8Fernando Muñoz, “Fiscalía abrió 17 causas penales contra el presidente Carlos Alvarado en lo que va de su mandato,” Monumental, February 9, 2021, https://www.monumental.co.cr/2021/02/09/fiscalia-abrio-17-causas-penale…
- 9Josué Alfaro, “Presidencia despide a analistas de datos involucrados en caso UPAD,” AmeliaRueda.com, 2018, https://www.ameliarueda.com/nota/presidencia-despide-a-analistas-de-dat…
- 10Natalia Díaz Zeledón, “Comisión UPAD cierra sus audiencias con un largo día junto al presidente Carlos Alvarado,” Semanario UNIVERSIDAD, February 10, 2021, https://semanariouniversidad.com/pais/comision-upad-cierra-sus-audienci…
- 11Josué Bravo, Eillyn Jiménez, Silvia Artavia, “Fiscala General allana Casa Presidencial por caso UPAD; Carlos Alvarado figura como investigado,” La Nación, February 28, 2020, https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/politica/fiscala-general-allana-casa-pre…
- 12Ramiro Casó, “Datos y ética: mucho más que buenas intenciones,” El Financiero, March 7, 2020, https://www.elfinancierocr.com/gerencia/tendencias/datos-y-etica-mucho-…; Orlando Cruz, “Los datos son una moneda de intercambio en democracia,” Voz Experta, February 25, 2020, https://www.ucr.ac.cr/noticias/2020/02/25/voz-experta-los-datos-son-una…
- 13Alexander Ramírez, “#UPAD: principales críticas hechas hasta ahora al Presidente,” CRHoy, February 10, 2021, https://www.crhoy.com/nacionales/upad-principales-criticas-hechas-hasta…
- 14Andrea Mora, “Abogados de Carlos Alvarado denuncian nueva filtración de expediente sobre caso UPAD,” Delfino, February 15, 2021, https://delfino.cr/2021/02/abogados-de-carlos-alvarado-denuncian-nueva-…
- 15Fernando Muñoz, “Fiscalía ordena investigar filtración de clave del teléfono decomisado a Carlos Alvarado,” Monumental, February 10, 2021, https://www.monumental.co.cr/2021/02/10/fiscalia-ordena-investigar-filt…
- 16Leo Schwartz, "Google automatically installed a Covid-19 tracker on phones in Costa Rica," Rest of World, June 24, 2021, https://restofworld.org/2021/google-covid-costa-rica/
Does monitoring and collection of user data by service providers and other technology companies infringe on users’ right to privacy? | 5.005 6.006 |
The General Telecommunications Law establishes that service providers must guarantee the secrecy and privacy of communications, as well as the right to privacy and protection of personal data of internet users.1 Article 42 of the General Telecommunications Law obliges providers to guarantee that user communications and metadata will not be stored or monitored by third parties without their consent, except with a court order.2
Interception of communications is only applied in extreme scenarios.3 The law on the registration, seizure and examination of private documents and the intervention of communications establishes that only courts may intervene in private communications, and only when it is essential to revealing necessary evidence on criminal cases of an urgent social need, as a last resort.4
In the same sense, the Law for the Protection of Individuals guarantees the right to informational self-determination, which encompasses guarantees regarding the legitimate processing of their personal data. It also gives users the right to rectification and the right of data subjects to access their data.5 This recognition is one of the mechanisms to guarantee the constitutional right to privacy and intimacy and is, at the same time, the guideline that must be complied with to collect, retain, or inspect personal data of the inhabitants.
Some actors have pointed out that the Law for the Protection of Individuals is an omissive and outdated law, with gaps that do not adequately address contemporary challenges such as automated data collection and processing, data geolocation, and knowledge of where the data is stored.6 In addition, they have pointed out that the broad wording of some articles may be interpreted to the detriment of individual privacy.7 Proposed reforms to the law promoted by the Citizen Action Party and supported by civil society organizations8 would update principles, guarantee the rights of users in the digital era, grant independence to the national agency that protects personal data, and regulate the extraterritoriality of data processing.9 In 2021, the bill was in its early phase in the legislative process.
Shortcomings in the legislation have become visible in cases related to the registration of biometric data. The authorities of the city of Alajuela announced in November 2020 the installation of 195 cameras that would use facial-recognition technology and artificial intelligence to detect crimes, even as the country lacks a specific rule regulating the storage and processing of biometric data.10 In response to criticism, the attorney general’s office determined that municipalities lack the power to manage the facial registry of inhabitants and established that a special law is needed on the subject.11 The law proposed by the Citizen Action Party would correct this issue.
Between July and December 2020, Facebook received 43 requests for information on 69 accounts. The company has produced information for 44 percent of government requests. Six were related to the legal process, while the remaining were emergency requests.12 Google received 18 requests on 23 accounts between January and June 2020, 14 emergency and four for other legal reasons.13
- 1Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Costa Rica, “Ley 8642. Ley General de Telecomunicaciones (2008). Publicada en el Diario Oficial La Gaceta 125 del 30 de junio de 2008. San José: Costa Rica,” accessed on August 6, 2021, http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_comple…
- 2Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Costa Rica, “Ley 8642. Ley General de Telecomunicaciones (2008). Publicada en el Diario Oficial La Gaceta 125 del 30 de junio de 2008. San José: Costa Rica,” accessed on August 6, 2021, http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_comple…
- 3Roberto Picado, “Análisis del marco legal relativo a la operación y uso de herramientas de privacidad y anonimato en Costa Rica. San José: Costa Rica,” Derechos Digitales, accessed on August 6, 2021, https://www.derechosdigitales.org/wp-content/uploads/2.Legal-Informe-Co…
- 4Setencias Nº 6273-96 y 4845-96 de la Sala Constitucional de Costa Rica
- 5Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Costa Rica, “Ley 8968. Ley de protección de la persona frente al tratamiento de sus datos personales (2011). Publicada en el Diario Oficial La Gaceta 170 del 7 de julio de 2011,” accessed on August 6, 2021, http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_comple…
- 6Enrique Carballo, “Es hora de actualizar la ley de protección de datos,” La Nación, March 14, 2021, https://www.nacion.com/opinion/foros/foro-es-hora-de-actualizar-la-ley-…
- 7Veronica Arroyo, “El estado actual de la protección de los datos biométricos en Costa Rica,” Access Now, January 25, 2021, https://www.accessnow.org/el-estado-actual-de-la-proteccion-de-los-dato…
- 8“Costa Rica: proponen una moderna ley de datos personales,” Access Now, January 29, 2021, https://www.accessnow.org/costa-rica-proponen-una-moderna-ley-de-datos-…
- 9Aarón Sequeira, “Diputado impulsa ley para proteger datos biométricos de las personas,” La Nación, January 28, 2021, https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/politica/diputado-impulsa-ley-para-prote…
- 10Juan Lara, “Alajuela usará inteligencia artificial y reconocimiento facial para combatir delitos y violación de medidas sanitarias,” La Nación, November 9, 2020, https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/salud/inteligencia-artificial-y-reconoci…
- 11Silvia Artavia, “Procuraduría: Municipalidades carecen de potestad para manejar registros faciales de los habitantes,” La Nación, January 16, 2021, https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/politica/procuraduria-municipalidades-ca…
- 12Facebook Transparency Center, “Government Data Requests: Costa Rica,” accessed on August 6, 2021, https://transparency.facebook.com/government-data-requests/country/CR
- 13Google, “Transparency Report,” accessed on May 17, 2021, https://transparencyreport.google.com/user-data/overview?hl=en&dlr_requ….
Are individuals subject to extralegal intimidation or physical violence by state authorities or any other actor in relation to their online activities? | 4.004 5.005 |
Certain segments of the population face harassment and intimidation. Women activists advocating against pineapple plantations in part through the use of smartphones and social media have been threatened online, for example.1
No Coma Cuento, an initiative by the Argentinean newspaper La Nación to fight disinformation, noted that migrants and refugees were the main victims of false news spread in the context of Costa Rica’s February 2020 municipal elections.2 Anonymous Facebook pages also incite hatred against Nicaraguan migrants in Costa Rica. During 2020 and 2021, misleading images circulated of supposed groups of Nicaraguans infected with COVID-19 entering Costa Rica through the country's northern border.3 Coordinated campaigns against Nicaraguan migrants also spread on Facebook and WhatsApp in 2018, probably contributing to violence that occurred at an antimigrant protest that year.4
In January 2020, Afro-Costa Rican boxer Hanna Gabriels faced online harassment after publicly supporting a migrants’ solidarity campaign organized by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).5 She reported receiving threats and attacks online, and false or misleading information about her circulated.6 This in turn generated expressions of solidarity and support from politicians and Costa Rica’s president.7
LGBT+ people have also been targeted through the dissemination of false or misleading information. Ahead of same-sex marriage entering into force in May 2020, information spread online claiming that the president’s Facebook page posted a photo of a drag performer, and, separately, that the president attacked a bus driver for kicking a gay couple off a bus.8
- 1Irene Poetranto, "Threats Facing Women Activists in Colombia and Costa Rica," The Citizen Lab, August 26, 2020, https://citizenlab.ca/2020/08/threats-facing-women-activists-in-colombi…
- 2José Céspedes, "Migrantes y refugiados fueron principales víctimas de ‘noticias falsas’ previo a elecciones municipales," La Nación, January 31, 2020, https://www.nacion.com/no-coma-cuento/migrantes-y-refugiados-fueron-pri…
- 3Gustavo Retana, "Página de Facebook orquesta campaña de desinformación sobre nicaragüenses y covid-19," La Nación, May 29, 2020, https://www.nacion.com/no-coma-cuento/pagina-de-facebook-orquesta-campa…
- 4Global Cyber Troops Country Profile: Costa Rica, University of Oxford and Oxford Internet Institute Programme on Democracy & Technology, January 2021, https://demtech.oii.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/127/2021/01/Cyber….
- 5José Céspedes, "Hanna Gabriels sufre ataque masivo de ‘fake news’ por colaborar con refugiados,” La Nación, January 22, 2020, https://www.nacion.com/no-coma-cuento/hanna-gabriels-sufre-ataque-masiv…
- 6José Céspedes, "Hanna Gabriels sufre ataque masivo de ‘fake news’ por colaborar con refugiados,” La Nación, January 22, 2020, https://www.nacion.com/no-coma-cuento/hanna-gabriels-sufre-ataque-masiv…
- 7Carlos Alvarado Quesada, @CarlosAlvQ,“Hanna Gabriels ha tenido el valor de subirse al ring y dejar en alto a Costa Rica. También el de ponerse los guantes para defender a las personas refugiadas. Hanna, los valores de gente como vos son los que necesitamos para sacar adelante al país. Estamos a tu lado,” January 22, 2020, https://twitter.com/carlosalvq/status/1220117284259291137; Javier Paniagua, "Video: Presidente sale en defensa de Hanna Gabriels ante falsas acusaciones,” CRHoy, January 22, 2020, https://www.crhoy.com/nacionales/video-presidente-sale-en-defensa-de-ha….
- 8Nicole Pérez, "#NoComaCuento: Carlos Alvarado no arremetió contra chofer de bus por bajar a pareja gay," La Nación, February 19, 2020, https://www.nacion.com/no-coma-cuento/nocomacuento-carlos-alvarado-no-a…; José Céspedes, "#NoComaCuento: Supuesta publicación de Casa Presidencial con foto de transformista es un montaje," La Nación, January 21, 2020, https://www.nacion.com/no-coma-cuento/nocomacuento-supuesta-publicacion…
Are websites, governmental and private entities, service providers, or individual users subject to widespread hacking and other forms of cyberattack? | 2.002 3.003 |
In Costa Rica, the websites of government entities are subject to different types of cyberattacks.1
In 2012, the Computer Security Incident Response Center, based at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications (MICITT),2 was created to work with government offices and public institutions like state banks on information and cybersecurity. However, the work of the department, according to MICITT documentation, has been limited due to a lack of resources.3
The National Cybersecurity Strategy, developed in 2017 by the MICITT, sought to develop a general framework for security of information and communication technologies, as well as to develop prevention and mitigation measures against the risks of the information-technology environment.4 Its progress was unclear at the end of the coverage period.
- 1Luanna Orjuela, "Aprenda a detectar los principales ciberataques en Costa Rica," Teletica.com, March 25, 2021, https://www.teletica.com/nacional/aprenda-a-detectar-los-principales-ci…
- 2Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Telecomunicaciones, “Decreto Ejecutivo Nº 37052-MICIT del 9 de marzo de 2012,” accessed on August 6, 2021, https://www.micit.go.cr/sites/default/files/texto_completo_norma_37052…
- 3Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Telecomunicaciones, “Estrategia Nacional de Ciberseguridad de Costa Rica. San José,” 2017, https://www.micit.go.cr/sites/default/files/estrategia-nacional-de-cibe…
- 4Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Telecomunicaciones, “Estrategia Nacional de Ciberseguridad de Costa Rica. San José,” 2017, https://www.micit.go.cr/sites/default/files/estrategia-nacional-de-cibe…


Country Facts
-
Global Freedom Score
91 100 free -
Internet Freedom Score
88 100 free -
Freedom in the World Status
Free -
Networks Restricted
No -
Websites Blocked
No -
Pro-government Commentators
No -
Users Arrested
No