Despite the fact that many of you not realize it by now, media censorship is a regular practice. While there are editing applied to news stories before it is released, in most cases, subjective decisions are made whether keeping some details from reaching the public or not.
At times, such decisions are made in order to protect someone’s privacy and security and occasionally, to protect various media outlets from political or corporate fallout. Yet other times, it can be a matter of national security why censorship take place.
What is Censorship anyway?
Basically, censorship is suppressing or altering writing, photos, speech or any other pieces of information that’s based on opinion that such material is any of the following:
Politically unacceptable
- Subversive
- Pornographic
- Obscene or;
- Harmful to public welfare
Both private institutions and the government might execute censorship for reasons like national security, protecting children as well as other protected groups, preventing hate speech, restricting religious or political opinion or preventing slander or libel. As a matter of fact, even if buying the best moisturizers for old women can undergo media censorship. Seems harmless but if government officials or private companies find out that it has contents that concerns safety and security, expect media censorship towards it.
A Brief History of Media Censorship
As a matter of fact, the practice of media censorship take place since 399 BC when Socrates, after trying to fight Greek government to censor his opinions and teachings, was executed by means of drinking a hemlock for trying to corrupt the minds of young Athenians.
Censorship as Time Goes By
Then in 1766, the very first country that enacted the official law in banning censorship is Sweden. While a lot of the modern countries have implemented laws towards censorship, none of these were actually ironclad and are typically challenged in restricting certain rights like freedom of expression and speech. As an example, censorship of photos considered pornographic are challenged by those who think that the images are an acceptable form of art. There are no laws that are preventing publishers, authors or any information creators from censoring their own projects.