Editing Telecommunications in Slovakia (section)

==Internet==

Slovakia has one of the highest Internet penetration rates in the world and the highest penetration rate in Central and Eastern Europe. Slovakia has a large number of full-area ISP's that offer wired broadband Internet connections, including [[Deutsche Telekom|Slovak Telekom]], [[Orange Slovensko]] and [[UPC Broadband|UPC]]. They offer a range of connections, from ADSL / ADSL2+ to [[Passive optical network|fiber optic]]. [[Asymmetric digital subscriber line|ADSL]] or [[ADSL2+]], VDSL is available in almost every town and village in [[Slovakia]].

;Key figures of the Internet sector
* Internet country code ([[Top-level domain|TLD]]): [[.sk]]<ref name=CIA-WFB-Slovakia-2013/>
* Internet users: ~ 80% of the population, ~ 4.4 million (2012).<ref name=ITU-IndividualsUsingTheInternet>[http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Documents/statistics/2013/Individuals_Internet_2000-2012.xls "Percentage of Individuals using the Internet 2000-2012"], International Telecommunication Union (Geneva), June 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.</ref>
* Internet hosts: 1.4 million, 41st in the world (2012).<ref name=CIA-WFB-Slovakia-2013/>

===Internet censorship and surveillance===
There are no government restrictions on access to the Internet or reports that the government monitors [[e-mail]] or Internet [[chat rooms]] without judicial oversight; however, police monitor Web sites containing [[hate speech]] and attempt to arrest or fine the authors.<ref name=CRHRP-Slovkia-2012>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2012&dlid=204337 "Slovakia"], ''Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012'', Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 7 May 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.</ref>

The constitution and the law provide for freedom of speech and press. While the government mostly respects these rights in practice, in some instances, it limits these rights to impede criticism and limit actions of groups it considers extremist. The law prohibits the [[defamation]] of nationalities, punishable by up to three years in prison, and [[Holocaust denial|denial of the Holocaust]], which carries a sentence of six months to three years in prison. Criminal penalties for defamation are rarely used. The constitution and the law prohibit arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home, or correspondence and the government generally respects these prohibitions in practice. Police must present a warrant before conducting a search or within 24 hours afterwards.<ref name=CRHRP-Slovkia-2012/>

A new draft law under consideration in 2011 would allow the nation's tax office to block web servers that provide online gambling without a Slovak license. Opponents argue that the economic interests served by the law are not sufficient to justify online censorship.<ref>[https://opennet.net/news/slovakia-new-draft-law-threatens-internet-freedom "Slovakia: New Draft Law Threatens Internet Freedom"], OpenNet Initiative, 7 October 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2013.</ref>