According to the 2009 data, 191000 citizens made use of the internet in Armenia. As of the third quarter of 2016 over 60 percent of the Armenian population has internet connection.
Arman Galstyan, Chief Specialist of Communication and Informatization Department of the RA Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies, has noted that due to the constant development of the internet connection and the spread of new technologies the number of internet users in our country continues to increase by over 5 percent annually.
According to the report issued by World Economic Forum Armenia has improved its position in the Networked Readiness Index ranking 56th among 139 countries to compare with the 82th position in 2013.
The development of the internet brings forth new challenges, like how to fight the harmful content and the crimes committed in the cyber space, as well as the violation of the right of protecting personal data.
The internet grows so fast that the legislative bodies do not manage to adopt appropriate laws. Whereby there is a need of establishing a body of internet governance.
Under the supervision of the RA Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies, in 2014 Internet Governance Forum was established in Armenia. The form has brought together members not only from the state bodies and NGOs, but also members from private companies and internet providers. This interdepartmental forum aims at revealing the issues in the cyber sphere, discussing and tackling them.
Head of Internet Society of Armenia NGO Grigor Saghyan, who is also Secretary of Internet Governance Forum, has noted that the forum has a consulting function. However based on the offer of the forum and with the mediation of the ministry a decision has been made regarding DDos attacks.
“The government made a decision according to which the internet providers undertake commitment to provide an internet connection safe from DDos attacks to state departments,” Saghyan noted.
Member of Internet Governance Forum Samvel Martirosyan has added that children attend schools with tablets from the first grade and no one teaches them how to make use of the internet network.
