Editing Telecommunications in Latvia (section)

== Internet censorship and surveillance ==
There is no [[OpenNet Initiative]] (ONI) country profile, but Latvia is shown as no evidence of Internet filtering in all areas for which ONI tests (political, social, conflict/security, and Internet tools) on the ONI global Internet filtering maps.<ref name="ONI-maps">[http://map.opennet.net/ "Global Internet Filtering Maps"], OpenNet Initiative, Retrieved 28 September 2011.</ref>

The constitution and law provide for [[freedom of speech]] and of the [[freedom of the press|press]]. There are no government restrictions on access to the Internet or reports that the government monitors [[e-mail]] or Internet [[chat rooms]]. Individuals and groups engage in the peaceful expression of views via the Internet, including by e-mail.<ref name="USDOSHRR-Latvia">[https://web.archive.org/web/20110414012142/http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2010/eur/154433.htm "2010 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Latvia"], Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 8 April 2011.</ref>

In September 2010 the government's [[Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau]] (KNAB), which enforces campaign laws, removed a satirical film, The Last Bear Slayer, from the on-demand playlist of the partially state-owned cable provider, [[Lattelecom]]. The KNAB stated that the film might have constituted election advertising. [[Reporters Without Borders]] charged that the prohibition constituted improper censorship, but noted it was ineffective because the film was widely available on the Internet.<ref name="USDOSHRR-Latvia" />

On June 1, 2014 new subsection 22 of section 19 of Electronic Communications Law <ref>{{cite web |title=Grozījumi Elektronisko sakaru likumā |url=https://likumi.lv/doc.php?id=%20262285}}</ref> was enforced to enable blocking unlicensed gambling websites.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Elektronisko sakaru likums |url=https://likumi.lv/ta/id/96611/redakcijas-datums/2014/06/01#p19}}</ref> Since then, the Lotteries and Gambling Supervisory Inspection of Latvia <ref>{{cite web |title=Homepage {{!}} Izložu un azartspēļu uzraudzības inspekcijas |url=https://www.iaui.gov.lv/en/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=หวยแม่โขง พิเศษ |url=https://maekhongspecial.com |access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref> has been maintaining the list of blocked websites.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blokdomeni |url=https://www.iaui.gov.lv/lv/blokdomeni}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Archived copy |url=https://www.iaui.gov.lv/images/Blokesana/domeni.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704064209/https://www.iaui.gov.lv/images/Blokesana/domeni.txt |archive-date=2020-07-04 |access-date=2020-07-04}}</ref>