Self-censorship

Self-censorship is the act of censoring or classifying one's own work (blog, book(s), film(s), or other means of expression), out of fear or deference to the sensibilities of others without an authority directly pressuring one to do so. Self-censorship is often practiced by film producers, film directors, publishers, news anchors, journalists, musicians, and other kinds of authors.

In authoritarian countries, creators of artworks may remove material that their government might find controversial for fear of sanction by their governments. In democratic countries, self-censorship can also occur, particularly in order to conform to the expectations of the market. For example, the editor of a periodical may consciously or unconsciously avoid topics that will anger advertisers or a parent company in order to protect their livelihood.

News media are often accused of self-censorship because news media can face serious backlash for controversial or hasty reporting. On following this public demand, news media have been accused of "not taking any risks." For example, certain organizations (Media Matters for America, FAIR, Democracy Now!, and the ACLU) have raised concerns about news broadcasting stations (notably FOX News) censoring their own content to be less controversial when reporting on the War on Terror. However, this is not always attributed to self-censorship; there have been attempts by the authorities to pressure news organizations to withhold particular public information in the name of security. [cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/06/29/milk.security/index.html |title=Milk-threat study issued over objections |publisher=CNN.com |author=Jeanne Meserve |date=Jun 29, 2005 |accessdate=2008-09-27] There have also been instances beginning with the Gulf War and in subsequent conflicts, where journalists have actively sought censorship advice from military authorities in order to prevent the inadvertent revelation of military secrets.

"Self-censorship" can also be found in scientific publications. Usually, a scientist can feel discouraged from releasing their findings because of a popular ideology or political agenda. Examples of self-censorship in scientific publications that have been criticized as politically motivated include scientists under the Third Reich withholding findings that disagreed with the commonly-held beliefs in differences between races, or the refusal of these scientists under Hitler to support General Relativity (which got the reputation as "Jewish science"). Economists under the communist regime in the former Soviet Union would never voice their criticisms of a socialized economy; this is a clear example of self-censorship. More recently, certain scientists have withheld their findings related to climate changes caused by pollution and to endangered species. [cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/11/tech/main673232.shtml |title=Scientific Method: Self-Censorship, Study Finds Researchers Shy Away From Controversial Projects |publisher=CBS News |author=Ayaz Nanji |date=February 11, 2005 |accessdate=2008-09-27] [cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-scientists10feb10,0,4954654.story?coll=la-home-nation |title=U.S. Scientists Say They Are Told to Alter Findings |publisher=Los Angeles Times |author=Julie Cart |page= A-13 |date=February 10, 2005 |accessdate=2008-09-27] [cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/17/60minutes/main1415985.shtml |title=Rewriting The Science, Scientist Says Politicians Edit Global Warming Research |publisher=CBS News |author=Daniel Schorn |date=July 30, 2006 |accessdate=2008-09-27] Professor Heinz Klatt claims that political correctness has resulted in widespread self-censorship on topics like homosexuality, (learning) disabilities, Islam, as well as sexual, racial, and genetic differences. [cite web|url=http://www.gazette.uwo.ca/article.cfm?section=Opinions&articleID=1099 |title=Self-censorship the bane of academic life |publisher=The Gazette |author=Heinz Klatt |date=October 27, 2006 |accessdate=2008-09-27]

Taste and decency are also areas which often raise questions on self-censorship. Debates involving images or footage of murder, terrorism, war and cause complaints as to the purpose to which they are put. Editors will frequently censor these images to avoid charges of prurience, shock tactics or invasion of privacy.

Online resources

Self-censorship is an important issue with the on-line news resources on which large parts of Wikipedia depends and is one of the justifications for including an "accessdate" with every link. It is taken for granted that articles on blogs can be seamlessly re-edited after people have read them, because the standard software allows it. However, since the archives of news stories held at online news sites such as BBC News or "New York Times" are under the control of the publisher, there is a strong temptation to withdraw or entirely delete all references to an informative article when its presence is perceived to be harmful to their reputation or commercial interests.

Examples include "The Guardian" withdrawing its extended interview and profile of Noam Chomsky in 2005 which was widely seen as a smear [cite web|url=http://www.medialens.org/alerts/05/051104_smearing_chomsky_the_guardian.php |title=Smearing Chomsky - The Guardian In The Gutter |publisher=medialens |date=November 4, 2005 |accessdate=2008-09-27] and subsequently apologized for by the editors, [cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/corrections/story/0,3604,1644017,00.html |title=Corrections and clarifications |publisher=The Guardian |date=November 17, 2005 |accessdate=2008-09-27] and the deletion of a 2006-12-21 Op-Ed piece by Daniel Johnson (journalist) in the "New York Sun". There are many more notable examples.

Sometimes the old article is available in search engine caches. The website [http://newssniffer.newworldodour.co.uk/pages/about New Sniffer] dl|date=June 2008 attempts to detect all changes that occur in the articles by regularly downloading articles and comparing with older copies. For the purposes of greater public understanding and accountability, it would be preferable if changes to articles that had already been widely read were noted in the articles, so they did not conflict with what people thought they had remembered when they went to look it up.

ee also

*Censorship
*International Freedom of Expression Exchange
*Newspeak
*OB marker — the limits of expression in Singapore
*Jayson Blair
*List of songs deemed inappropriate by Clear Channel following the September 11, 2001 attacks
* Scieno Sitter

References

External links

* [http://www.fair.org/media-woes/censorship.html Censorship] (FAIR)
* [http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=71380&dict=CALD Definition, Cambridge Dictionary]
* [http://mediamatters.org/items/200407140002 33 internal FOX editorial memos reviewed by MMFA reveal]
* [http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/mediamix/2003-09-14-media-mix_x.htm CNN admits censorship]
* [http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=39 raw data on self-censorship]
* [http://english.mn.ru/english/issue.php?2004-35-8 "Hostages of Self-Censorship." The Moscow News]
* [http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=14&click_id=6&art_id=vn20060610091410712C874542 The SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) self-censors 'unauthorised' documentary on President Thabo Mbeki and gags the producers]
* [http://www.freemuse.org/sw2104.asp?searchresultid=34&word=self%2Dcensorship&filterid=1666&indexid=128 Self-censorship incidents in music] as reported by Freemuse
* [http://www.freemuse.org/sw17419.asp The Jordanian singer Ruba Saqr] speaks about the impact of artists' self-censorship in the Middle East (video interview)
* [http://www.comm.ohio-state.edu/ahayes/wtsc.htm The Willingness-to-Self-Censor Scale]