Pressured and Silenced: 
Self-Censorship in Autocracies and Democracies 

In autocratic regimes, media professionals have long had to filter their output due to government control and political pressure. However, in recent years, self-censorship has also become a pressing issue in Western democracies. Threats against journalists, particularly from right-wing extremists, are becoming more frequent, while fears of a so-called „cancel culture“ are increasing as well.

What are the consequences of self-censorship in both autocratic and democratic contexts? How can journalists of different backgrounds overcome these obstacles and what can they learn from each other?