Iceland
Freedom at a Glance
Global Freedom
95 / 100
Free
Internet Freedom
94 / 100
Free
Iceland is a parliamentary democracy with a long history of upholding political rights and civil liberties. However, links between elected representatives and business interests remain a concern, as does the concentration of private media ownership.
Research & Recommendations
Iceland
Free
95
100
| PR Political Rights | 38 40 |
| CL Civil Liberties | 57 60 |
Last Year's Score & Status
95
100
Free
A country or territory’s Freedom in the World status depends on its aggregate Political Rights score, on a scale of 0–40, and its aggregate Civil Liberties score, on a scale of 0–60.
See the methodology.
Overview
Iceland is a parliamentary democracy with a long history of upholding political rights and civil liberties. However, links between elected representatives and business interests remain a concern, as does the concentration of private media ownership.
Freedom in the World 2026 Policy Recommendations
Strengthen democratic coordination and collective action in a contested global order
Democratic resilience will increasingly depend on stronger coordination among countries that share a commitment to freedom, the rule of law, and accountable governance.
Reimagine international democracy assistance to help reverse the global decline in freedom
International support for democratic institutions, civil society, and independent media has been associated with modest but meaningful improvements in democratic governance, and it is far less costly than the military outlays necessitated by rising authoritarian aggression.
Prioritize engagement with younger generations in the digital spaces where civic identity is now formed
Young people are increasingly dissatisfied with democracy—not because they reject its principles, but because they see institutions failing to deliver on them. Programmatic work should create clear pathways for meaningful political participation, from voting and policy engagement to community organizing and public leadership, so that young people can translate their expectations into agency.
Iceland
Free
94
100
| A Obstacles to Access | 25 25 |
| B Limits on Content | 34 35 |
| C Violations of User Rights | 35 40 |
Last Year's Score & Status
94
100
Free
Scores are based on a scale of 0 (least free) to 100 (most free).
See the methodology and report acknowledgements.
Political Overview
Iceland is a parliamentary democracy with a long history of upholding political rights and civil liberties. However, links between elected representatives and business interests remain a concern, as does the concentration of private media ownership.
Freedom on the Net 2026 Policy Recommendations
Undermine Authoritarian Internet Restrictions
Access to the internet is under threat as authoritarian powers continue to create barriers for people to freely express themselves online. Internet shutdowns, throttling, and platform blocking remain among the most common tools of digital repression. At the same time, digital technologies serve as a lifeline for people seeking to expose human rights violations to the outside world and hold dictators accountable.
Safeguard Privacy Online
Protecting privacy online is essential to safeguarding free expression in repressive contexts. Without strong privacy protections, journalists and human rights defenders may self-censor out of a fear of reprisal. Rapid advances in AI—and the growing threat of automated vulnerability exploitation—heighten these risks, leaving civil society organizations increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated cyberattacks.
Election Watch for the Digital Age equips technology companies, civil society organizations, and policymakers with a data-driven resource for evaluating the human rights impact of internet platforms on a country’s electoral process.
Our Election Vulnerability Index consists of key election-related indicators regarding a country’s political rights and internet freedom. Derived from our annual Freedom in the World and Freedom on the Net reports, the data and accompanying analysis allows users to identify specific areas of concern ahead of a country’s election, including online influence operations, internet shutdowns, or intercommunal tensions fanned by social media.
Previous Reports: 2024
News and Updates
Featured
Country Facts
Basic Facts
Freedom in the World Score
95
/ 100
Free
Freedom on the Net Score
94
/ 100
Free
Population: 382,003
Internet Facts
Status
Free
Networks Restricted
No
Social Media Blocked
No
Websites Blocked
No
Pro-government Commentators
No
Users Arrested
No
Election Facts
Status
Past Election
Date of Election
June 1, 2024
Type of Election
Presidential
Internet Penetration
99.00%
Election Year
2024
Vulnerability Index
91
/ 100
Transnational Repression
Status
Not Tracked
