Abstract
Censorship is the most serious interference with freedom of expression. It may amount to the seizure and confiscation of cultural and intellectual products; the prohibition of screenings, exhibitions, and other public events; as well as the forceful closure of websites and other media platforms (see also freedom of the press; right to access to the media; regulation of the media). Censorship is usually imposed on specific outlets of intellectual, cultural, and artistic production of a state (including newspapers, televisions, and the web) and in extreme cases it may amount to absolute bans of a specific form of expression. As pointed out by Lord Bridge in his dissenting opinion in the Spycatcher case, it is ‘the indispensable tool to regulate what the public may and what they may not know’ (Spycatcher (1987) (UK); Observer (1991) 50 (ECtHR)).
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Max Planck Encyclopedia of Comparative Constitutional Law |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |