Leo S.
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Verified by
Adam B.
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Last updated:
July 30, 2024
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(0)
There are certain countries that need no description to immediately send our minds traveling through them, even if we’ve never even visited them before. Dominican Republic is certainly one of these places, a country located in the Greater Antilles archipelago that has suffered through some hard times since it was first discovered by the Spanish in the 15th century. Nowadays it has asserted itself as one of the most in-demand tourist destinations in the world, with its idyllic palm trees and white sand beaches.
As a result, the Caribbean country has developed its technological infrastructure and is nowadays able to enjoy multiple internet service providers delivering high-speed connections at acceptable prices. And even better, tourists and residents alike can navigate freely on the web as there is no online censorship, while services such as VPNs and social media are fully accessible.
The internet penetration rate in Dominican Republic is not the highest by any means, which is understandable in a paradise island such as this. Still, the steady development of the country over the years has allowed much of its infrastructure to be improved, including its technological capabilities. This constantly rising penetration rates are proof of this. In 2011 only 35% of the population had access to the internet, but five years later the 50% mark had already been crossed. And with a population of nearly 11 million people and more tourists than ever, the government is already aiming for 70% by 2020.
But the best is that these numbers correspond to open internet, since there are no records of online censorship by the government or any other entities. In turn, just like VPNs, social media such as Facebook and Twitter, different streaming services, Skype, WhatsApp, and other usual targets are all accessible without restraints.
Most Latin American and Caribbean countries are late bloomers where online privacy is concerned, as many of them lack the appropriate laws to regulate their cyberspace. Dominican Republic is a curious case in this matter as the country’s Data Protection Law 172-13 is one of the most recent to be enacted in the region but, as the title suggests, it’s from 2013 and doesn’t cross into the online world just yet. However, it does enforce the protection of “personal data stored in files, public and private registers” while obeying fundamental principles such as “the consent of the affected owner, the security of the data”, among others.
This shows that the Dominican Republic government is at least aware of the importance of protecting their citizens’ data, which is surely positive and better than some of its neighboring countries. And given that the region is not only a popular tourist destination but is also seeing greater development of its overall internet infrastructure, it should be just a matter of time until the present law either gets extended to the online world or acts as the foundations of a brand new one.
As mentioned, Dominican Republic is a highly popular tourist destination and while this is undoubtedly because of the paradise beaches and hot sun that it can offers visitors, the state of the internet in the country is likely another factor playing in its favor. In turn, neither the government nor any other entity have taken part in any sort of internet censorship in the Caribbean territory. The country’s constitution abides by free speech and opinion, which is respected by the government, even in the online world as there are no reports indicating any interferences.
Likewise, there are no restrictions on the use of social media, VoIP, or streaming services for both residents and tourists.
The average Wi-Fi internet in Dominican Republic may be quite a hassle for streaming addicts, but the good news is that there’s no lack of channels and services to please them. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are two of the better choices for fans of movies and TV shows as they are available worldwide with only a few exceptions. Fortunately, Dominican Republic is included as part of both of these services but, as would be expected, the available offerings are not as vast as in the United States. When it comes to music streaming services, once again the world’s most popular can be relied upon here, such as Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, and Pandora, for instance.
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