Free and Open
This is the weighted total of the four scored pillars.
Assessment windowJanuary 1–December 31, 2025
Research cutoffJuly 17, 2026
FrameworkMethodology v0.3 · 20 indicators
Territory coveragePrincipality of Liechtenstein
Finding
01Why Liechtenstein received this score.
An open network, strong civil liberties, independent institutions, and robust data protection support a top-tier result. Narrow surveillance and capacity gaps remain.
The score draws on country reporting, network measurements, shutdown records, journalist cases, privacy law, and rule-of-law data. The indicator findings below show how that evidence was converted into points. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Privacy, Anonymity & User Security
Data-protection rights and secure communications are broadly available, subject to bounded surveillance powers.
Open Internet & Content Controls
No systematic political filtering or state-directed shutdown pattern was established in the reviewed record.
Full coverage
8 cited sources support this assessment.
Scored assessment
02Indicator scores.
Each indicator receives 0–4 points. Five indicators form a pillar. The pillar average is converted to a percentage and multiplied by its published weight.
B
30% weight
Open Internet & Content Controls
No systematic political filtering or state-directed shutdown pattern was established in the reviewed record.
87.526.3 / 30 points
B1Shutdowns and throttling3.5 / 4
Observed record
Liechtenstein: OONI measurements and the Access Now shutdown record provide the incident check; No systematic political filtering or state-directed shutdown pattern was established in the reviewed record.. [2][3][4]
Scoring judgment
Liechtenstein's B1 evidence supports 3.5/4. Protection is strong, with a bounded exception preventing full credit.
B2Website and service blocking3.5 / 4
Observed record
Liechtenstein: Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 3/4 and private discussion 4/4; the country OONI dashboard supplies direct network measurements. [3][1]
Scoring judgment
Liechtenstein's B2 evidence supports 3.5/4. Protection is strong, with a bounded exception preventing full credit.
B3Removal and filtering orders3.5 / 4
B4Intermediary liability3.5 / 4
Observed record
Liechtenstein: Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 3/4; No systematic political filtering or state-directed shutdown pattern was established in the reviewed record.. [2][1]
Scoring judgment
Liechtenstein's B4 evidence supports 3.5/4. Protection is strong, with a bounded exception preventing full credit.
B5Circumvention and cross-border access3.5 / 4
Observed record
Liechtenstein: Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 3/4 and private discussion 4/4; OONI and Freedom House records provide the circumvention check. [3][1]
Scoring judgment
Liechtenstein's B5 evidence supports 3.5/4. Protection is strong, with a bounded exception preventing full credit.
C
30% weight
Free Expression & Civic Space
Online political debate is broad and legal protections generally remain effective.
90.027.0 / 30 points
C1Legal protection for expression3.5 / 4
Observed record
Liechtenstein: Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 3/4 and private discussion 4/4; the relevant Freedom House country score 90/100. [1][7]
Scoring judgment
Liechtenstein's C1 evidence supports 3.5/4. Protection is strong, with a bounded exception preventing full credit.
C2Speech-related offenses3.5 / 4
Observed record
Liechtenstein: Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 3/4 and due process 4/4; Freedom House country reporting supplies the offense and enforcement record. [2][1]
Scoring judgment
Liechtenstein's C2 evidence supports 3.5/4. Protection is strong, with a bounded exception preventing full credit.
C3Arrests and penalties4.0 / 4
Observed record
Liechtenstein: Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded due process 4/4 and equal treatment under law 4/4; CPJ and Freedom House records provide the documented case check. [2][5][1]
Scoring judgment
Liechtenstein's C3 evidence supports 4.0/4. The record matches the strongest published anchor.
C4Harassment, violence, and digital attacks3.5 / 4
Observed record
Liechtenstein: Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 3/4 and equal treatment under law 4/4; the 2026 RSF press-freedom score 82.6/100; CPJ and Freedom House reporting provide the violence, harassment, and accountability record. [5][8][1]
Scoring judgment
Liechtenstein's C4 evidence supports 3.5/4. Protection is strong, with a bounded exception preventing full credit.
C5Civic participation and pluralism3.5 / 4
D
20% weight
Privacy, Anonymity & User Security
Data-protection rights and secure communications are broadly available, subject to bounded surveillance powers.
92.518.5 / 20 points
D1Data protection rights3.5 / 4
D2Surveillance law and authorization3.5 / 4
D3Retention, access, and identity mandates4.0 / 4
Observed record
Liechtenstein: Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded private discussion 4/4 and due process 4/4; UNCTAD and Freedom House records provide the retention and identity-law check. [1][6]
Scoring judgment
Liechtenstein's D3 evidence supports 4.0/4. The record matches the strongest published anchor.
D4Targeted surveillance and spyware3.5 / 4
Observed record
Liechtenstein: Freedom House's 2026 country scorecard recorded media freedom 3/4 and equal treatment under law 4/4; the RSF press-freedom environment 82.6/100; CPJ and Freedom House reporting provide the targeted-surveillance case record. [5][1]
Scoring judgment
Liechtenstein's D4 evidence supports 3.5/4. Protection is strong, with a bounded exception preventing full credit.
D5Encryption and anonymity4.0 / 4
E
20% weight
Rule of Law & Accountability
Independent courts, regulators, and public procedures provide meaningful checks and remedies.
92.518.5 / 20 points
E1Judicial independence and due process3.5 / 4
E2Independent regulators4.0 / 4
E3Government transparency4.0 / 4
E4Notice, appeal, and remedy3.5 / 4
E5Open and multistakeholder policymaking3.5 / 4
Country findings
03Findings by pillar.
These are the principal findings for each scored part of the report. The indicator records above provide the supporting detail.
Open Internet & Content Controls
No systematic political filtering or state-directed shutdown pattern was established in the reviewed record.
[2][3][4]Free Expression & Civic Space
Online political debate is broad and legal protections generally remain effective.
[2][5][8]Privacy, Anonymity & User Security
Data-protection rights and secure communications are broadly available, subject to bounded surveillance powers.
[6][1]Rule of Law & Accountability
Independent courts, regulators, and public procedures provide meaningful checks and remedies.
[7][1]Research record
04Coverage
Principality of Liechtenstein, assessed from January 1 through December 31, 2025.
Evidence
Network measurements, legal and institutional datasets, shutdown records, and documented cases support the findings.
Scoring
Twenty indicators measure content openness, expression, privacy, security, and institutional checks under Methodology v0.3.
Source register
05Sources used for this report.
Country reporting, open measurements, and cross-national datasets form the report record.
- 01Freedom HouseLiechtenstein: Freedom in the World 2026 country report ↗Civil society · 2026 edition
- 02Digital Society ProjectDigital Society Project Dataset v8 ↗Independent measurement · 2000–2025 country-year data
- 03Open Observatory of Network InterferenceLiechtenstein measurement dashboard ↗Independent measurement · Accessed July 17, 2026
- 04Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalitionInternet Shutdowns in 2025 Annual Report ↗Civil society · March 2026
- 05Committee to Protect Journalists2025 journalist prison census and case database ↗Civil society · January 21, 2026
- 06UN Trade and DevelopmentData protection and privacy legislation worldwide ↗International organization · Accessed July 17, 2026
- 07World Justice ProjectRule of Law Index 2025 ↗Independent measurement · October 28, 2025
- 08Reporters Without BordersLiechtenstein: World Press Freedom Index 2026 profile ↗Civil society · May 2026