| Abstract: | Italy was behind the European average in internet development for many years, but a new trend, which has brought considerable change, emerged at the end of 1998 and showed its effects in 2000 and following years. Now Italy is one of the top ten countries worldwide in internet hostcount and the fourth largest in Europe. Density of internet activity on Italy in proportion to population is still below the average in the European Union, but growing faster than Germany, the UK and France--and faster than the world-wide or European average. From the point of view of media control there are several problems. Italy has democratic institutions and freedom of speech, but there is an alarming concentration in the control of mainstream media (especially broadcast). There are no officially declared restrictions in the use of the internet, but several legal and regulatory decisions reveal a desire to limit freedom of opinion and dialogue--and-or gain centralized control of the net. |
