Self-censorship is a voluntary act of withholding information or opinions. It’s often driven by fear of social, legal, or financial repercussions. People may choose to self-censor due to various factors. These include social pressures, cultural norms, and legal constraints. For example, fear of being unpopular or excluded can lead to self-censorship. It is also influenced by demographic factors such as age, gender, and education. Economic pressures can also lead to self-censorship, with individuals or organizations withholding information to meet market expectations. In some regions, self-censorship is a legal requirement to avoid government sanctions. This practice has a significant impact on freedom of expression and diversity of opinions. It can cause a distortion of information reaching the public and limit creativity and innovation. While prevalent globally, approaches to overcome self-censorship include legal protections, promoting open dialogue, and fostering a culture of transparency.
Self-censorship is the act of censoring or classifying one's own discourse. This is done out of fear of, or deference to, the sensibilities or preferences (actual or perceived) of others and without overt pressure from any specific party or institution of authority. Self-censorship is often practiced by film producers, film directors, publishers, news anchors, journalists, musicians, and other kinds of authors including individuals who use social media.
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees freedom of speech from all forms of censorship. Article 19 explicitly states that "everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."
The practice of self-censorship, like that of censorship itself, has a long history.
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