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censorship

A series of instagram posts covered with a black bar and symbols of crossed out eyes.

What’s the Deal With All the Censorship on Instagram?

Beth Nipper, University of Iowa

The platform and its parent company, Facebook, have come under fire after users reported the removal of posts regarding hot-button issues such as the Israel-Palestine conflict and COVID-19 misinformation.…

June 16, 2021

In an article about conservatives on college campuses, influencer riannasun

Conservatives Are Finding the Need To Censor Themselves on College Campuses

Anastasiya Cernei, Missouri State University

In a world where campuses tilt a certain way on the political spectrum, more conservative students are feeling pressure to stay silent on certain topics.…

June 9, 2021

The Era of Fanfiction.net and Wattpad Is Over — Long Live Archive of Our Own

Karen Lu, Yale University

The website, affectionately known as AO3, has redefined the way fan fiction is cataloged and created and has reinvigorated the discourse surrounding the nature of fandom.…

April 30, 2021

novels of Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù

The Novels of Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù Are Breaking Down Barriers for the LGBTQ+ Community in China

Sammi Looi, Baruch College

Despite China’s media censorship of same-sex relationships, the author's books — including 'Mo Dao Zu Shi,' the basis of a widely watched series — remain wildly popular in the country.…

October 20, 2020

Illustration by Marlowe Pody for an article on Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week Asks You To Discover Your Right to Read

Samantha Havela, University of Michigan

This special time highlights the power of language to challenge our social, political and cultural assumptions.…

October 17, 2020

WeChat, one of the potential victims of Trump's Clean Network plan

Trump’s Clean Network Is Set to Fracture the Internet

Ailun Shi, UC Berkeley

The plan will rid Americans of apps, telecommunications carriers and cloud-based services connected to Chinese companies.…

August 29, 2020

Bari Weiss resigns from the New York Times

Bari Weiss’ New York Times Resignation Is a Forewarning to New Writers

Kaitlyn Nuebel, University of Pittsburgh

After receiving harsh criticism from her colleagues, the former columnist speaks of the grim consequences for people that go against the grain.…

July 31, 2020

A photo of B Simone in an article about being canceled

B. Simone, Lea Michele and Starbucks Make the Canceled List

Yasmeen Ludy, University of Michigan

Is cancel culture going too far, or are the stakes too high to just let things go?…

June 24, 2020

Fallout 76

Hate Speech on ‘Fallout 76’ Has Helped Polarize the Censorship Debate

Thomas Turner, University of Rhode Island

Video games have come front and center in the discussion surrounding freedom of online speech.…

December 15, 2018

To Combat Toxicity, Game Developers Are Censoring Users — Should They?

Christian Nelson, Eastern Michigan University

Discussing the elephant in the game chat.…

September 1, 2018

sensitivity readers

Why Hiring Sensitivity Readers Isn’t Supporting Censorship

Marissa Cortes, Stony Brook University

Contrary to recent claims, sensitivity readers in the publishing industry aren’t here to kill creativity — I promise.…

January 21, 2018

net neutrality

The FCC has Voted to Repeal Net Neutrality, So Now What?

Kelly Lambkin, SUNY Cortland

With the recent rollbacks of net neutrality laws by the FCC, many are arranging funeral services for the once free and open web.…

December 20, 2017

Is Censorship in the Wake of the Las Vegas Shooting Helping?

Brandi Loving, St. Mary's University

It's tactful, but it might be counterproductive.…

October 28, 2017

A Brief History of YouTube Shooting Itself in the Foot

A Brief History of YouTube Shooting Itself in the Foot

Eric McInnis, Arcadia University

For a website reliant on user-submitted content, YouTube has a pretty incriminating track record of mistreating its content creators.…

April 12, 2017

YouTube’s Restricted Mode: Why is a Multi-Billion Dollar Company Threatened by Queer Content?

Why Is YouTube Threatened by Queer Content?

Ashley Wertz, University of Pittsburgh

New safe-search restrictions on the site block certain LGBT+ videos, sending negative messages to viewers about homosexuality.…

March 29, 2017

5 Politically Relevant Classics You Need to Read

Kristian Porter, Northern Kentucky University

The dystopian novels of yesterday are the political blueprints of today.…

March 5, 2017

Is There a Chance for Chinese Journalists to Surpass Government Control?

Journalistic Censorship in China Is Struggling to Silence Social Media

Jessie Yang, The University of Hong Kong

Despite routinely interrogating dissident writers, the government is losing its ability to control the message.…

February 23, 2017