page_title: Censorship
section_title: Self-censorship
hierarchical_section_title: Censorship / Types / Self-censorship
caption_attribution_description: English: One of two censored sections of the 2012 environmental book Green Illusions by Ozzie Zehner. State laws forced the University of Nebraska Press to black-out sections of the book to be sold in the United States. "Veggie libel laws" enacted in 13 states make it illegal for journalists and authors to criticize the food industry.
context_page_description: Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information, on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient." Censorship can be conducted by governments, private institutions, and other controlling bodies.
  Governments and private organizations may engage in censorship. Other groups or institutions may propose and petition for censorship. When an individual such as an author or other creator engages in censorship of their own works or speech, it is referred to as self-censorship. General censorship occurs in a variety of different media, including speech, books, music, films, and other arts, the press, radio, television, and the Internet for a variety of claimed reasons including national security, to control obscenity, child pornography, and hate speech, to protect children or other vulnerable groups, to promote or restrict political or religious views, and to prevent slander and libel.
  Direct censorship may or may not be legal, depending on the type, location, and content.
context_section_description: 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.
  According to a Pew Research Center and the Columbia Journalism Review survey, "About one-quarter of the local and national journalists say they have purposely avoided newsworthy stories, while nearly as many acknowledge they have softened the tone of stories to benefit the interests of their news organizations. Fully four-in-ten (41%) admit they have engaged in either or both of these practices."
  Threats to media freedom have shown a significant increase in Europe in recent years, according to a study published in April 2017 by the Council of Europe.
  This results in a fear of physical or psychological violence, and the ultimate result is self-censorship by journalists.
caption: Author Ozzie Zehner self-censored the American edition of his environmental book, Green Illusions,[32] fearing food libel laws.
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